Bright Feathers and Dream Catchers
by Alliooup
Summary: Toothiana is the young wife of the owner of the 'Theatre of Shadows', Pitch Black, but when Pitch wants to make his shows much more frightening he calls on an old friend, Nicholas St. North, the ringleader of a traveling circus. Bunnymund, the animal keeper of North's circus, gets along rather well with Toothiana. Maybe even too well... In fact he may just be falling for her.
1. the Nightmare King and His Wife

Chapter One:

The light summer breeze ruffled the curtains by the window, carrying the soft chirpings of birds in its wake. Toothiana sighed contentedly, stretching out her arms and rolling on her side.

Her eyelashes fluttered softly as her gaze landed on the man sleeping beside her. A small smile crept onto her soft lips as she slipped her arms around his torso and snuggled into his chest.

The man stirred and slinked his arm around her waist, pulling her small body completely on top of his. Toothiana giggled softly, nuzzling her nose to his. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

His lips quirked up in a smirk, gently trailing his hands up and down the woman's sides. His amber eyes opened, gleaming mischievously up at her. "Well…" he drawled out, "I would definitely say there are far worse ways to woken up."

His hand slipped up her cheek and he gently pulled her face towards his. Their lips met and Toothiana felt his fingers running through her still tangled hair, snagging on curls.

"Ouch-" Toothiana pulled away, a smile still on her face. "Pitch that hurt!" She laughed, running her fingers through her hair.

Pitch sat up, resting his back against the headboard of their bed. Toothiana shifted so that she was now straddling his lap. "Forgive me." He chuckled, slightly mockingly as he leaned forward, his lips just barely touching hers.

"Always…" She whispered as she leaned into him, deepening the kiss. Pitch inhaled deeply through the nose as he felt her tongue gently trace the sharp edges of his teeth.

He slipped his hands down her waist to her legs and began to lift the hem of her nightgown-

There was a knock at the door. Pitch growled in irritation before pulling away from Toothiana who gave him a sweet smile, cocking her head slightly to the left, god he loved it when she did that.

There was another knock. Pitch sighed, irritated, but did not move. "What is it?" He asked, his fingers still playing with the bright fabric of Toothiana's nightgown.

The door opened, revealing two tall men completely dressed in black. Pitch felt his mouth twist into a glare and he instantly grabbed the sheets and pulled them over his lover's bare shoulders. No one should see her in such a state but him.

"Can I not have a morning alone with my wife?" he asked coldly as his eyes narrowed on the men. They were just two of many of his workers, 'nightmares' as he liked called them.

"Forgive us, master." The first said, bowing his head respectfully before the second stepped forward. Pitch's eyes narrowed.

"We have news from the docks." The second man explained.

"Do you, now?" Pitch said in a somewhat bored tone. He was not a very patient man and found it quite irritating when people beat around the bush.

"Yes." The nightmare paused for a moment. Pitch looked at him expectantly, as soon as his eyebrow raised slightly the man continued. "It seems Nicholas St. North has arrived with the cargo and should be arriving tonight. "

Pitch's lips widened into a smile, revealing his white, sharpened teeth. "Perfect." He said turning back to his wife and looking into her purple eyes. He moved to touch her face, but stopped as soon as he saw the two man still standing in the doorway.

"Leave us!" He snarled. The two men scrambled away quickly, slamming the door quickly behind them. Pitch felt himself chuckle lightly at their fear. It was incredibly amusing to watch them squirm, and no matter how often Pitch watched their eyes widen and faces pale, it never got old.

"Come on now, Pitch." Toothiana chided, intertwining her fingers with his. "That wasn't very nice.

"I wouldn't say that them barging in on my morning with my, rather beautiful wife, was particularly kind either. He replied teasingly.

Toothiana rolled her eyes and slid off his lap and onto the floor. Pitch instantly missed her warmth.

"Where are you going?" He asked, following her as she made the way to the vanity across from the bed. Toothiana took a seat in front of the mirror and grabbed her hairbrush. It was silver and was covered in intricate designs. She began to run it through her soft waves of hair, looking at Pitch in the mirror's reflection.

"I need to practice the routine and go into town today, I should be back by dinner." She explained as she fastened her hair up with a silver hairpiece that was decorated with green and blue stones. Toothiana stood up and began to walk towards the closet before Pitch caught her around the waist and pulled her against him. She had her back to him, which allowed him to place several kisses from her collarbone all the way up her throat.

"You don't need to do that." He breathed against her ear as he slowly began backing towards the bed.

Toothiana twisted easily out of his grip and flitted back towards the closet door, opening it and pulling out a long green dress with gold thread curling up and down the fabric. "You know I do." She replied slipping her nightgown over her head. Pitch took a moment to drink her in. Smooth, soft curves with pale skin, brown-blonde curls with streaks of green a blue, bright purple eyes that seemed to fly everywhere at once; taking the whole world in, and finally her lips: Soft and pink, just waiting to be devoured.

The moment was gone all too soon as Toothiana stepped into the new dress, letting the inch-thick traps rest on her shoulders. "Zip me up?" She asked, looking at him from the corner of her eye.

Pitch stepped closer, letting his hand grasp the small piece of metal. His eyes were fixed on the bare skin of her back as he led the zipper up, up, up. He slipped his hands around her waist and pulled her close to him, allowing himself to feel her heartbeat against his. Toothiana turned to face him, rising up on her tiptoes so that she could give him a peck. Pitch still had to crane his neck downward to meet her lips, but he didn't mind.

Then she was gone, slipping on a pair of small silver heals and grabbing her purse. "I'll be back in time to have dinner with the guests." She said, opening the door. Pitch nodded and watched her step outside.

"Toothiana," Pitch called just before the door shut.

"Yes?" She replied, poking her head back inside.

Pitch paused for a moment before softly adding, "I love you."

Toothiana gave him a warm smile. "I love you, too." She replied, letting the door click shut.

Pitch stood in the now empty room. He couldn't go back to sleep, so he might as well get dressed and attend to business.

The theatre did need some new scares after all.

Toothiana made her way down the crowded streets, her shoes clicking against the cobblestone loudly. The sun warmed her face and shoulders as she darted around the people in her path, muttering apologies every time she accidentally bumped into someone.

She could have taken the car and had one of Pitch's nightmares drive her to the Theatre of Shadows, where she acted as an acrobat. It had always been a hobby of Toothiana's to swing from the tree branches at her old home when she was a child, and had it eventually led her to her first trapeze act.

Toothiana's family had been very poor, but it hadn't stopped her mother from always insisting Toothiana takes time from her many chores to play outside. Her father had always had a similar belief, but he had never been around very much because he had to work.

Then Toothiana's mother got sick, and her father had to work more hours and was hardly ever at home. Despite all the pain her mother was in, the frail woman had made Toothiana promise to make time for herself.

So it was that during Toothiana's eleventh year, a large man in a top hat and coat had just so happened to drive by her house. It was one of the rare hours in the day where she was outside and not indoors caring for her mother. The man had looked out his window just in time to see Toothiana swing from one of the lower branches of the tree all the way to one of the upper ones, catching herself not with her hands, but with her feet.

He had been amazed and introduced himself as Mr. Greene. Toothiana uncertain of what to do jumped out of the tree and shook the hand he'd offered her.

"What's your name?" he'd asked, his thick mustache bobbing with every word he said.

"Toothiana." She'd replied somewhat haughtily, crossing her arms as she looked the man up and down. Her father had always warned her about strange man who may try to approach her, but this man hadn't seemed very strange, just very large.

Mr. Greene had chortled at that. It was the strangest sound Toothiana had heard, it was almost like a bark, but at the same time it reminded her of the cows from the farm down the road.

"How would you like to change your life, Miss Toothiana?" the man asked leaning down to her eyelevel. _Change my life?_ She'd thought.

"How?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. For some reason she'd felt like she was haggling, something her mother had loved to do at the market to get lower prices on food.

"Miss Toothiana, I believe that you could be the next 'big thing'." Mr. Greene spread his arms out animatedly, a far off look in his eyes.

"I don't know…" Toothiana said uncertainly, scuffing her toe in the grass and looking towards her front door.

Mr. Greene popped a cigar in his mouth and lit it before looking down at Toothiana with a gleam in his eye. "Say, little Miss Toothiana, how would you like to be rich?"

Toothiana's heart had stopped for a moment. She knew being rich meant that her family would get money and lots of it too. Money for medicine. Money that her father wouldn't need to spend extra hours working for.

A gleeful smile spread across her face. "Alright!" she exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Good choice little Miss." The man said his eyes twinkling as he ruffled Toothiana's hair. He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Toothiana with an expensive looking pen. "Now, this paper is a promise that you'll work for me and I'll pay you a certain amount of money." His finger guided her eyes to each word as he explained the contract. "I'll give you a place to stay along with food. You'll also get a monthly check. You can do anything you want with that."

"Why can't I live with my parents?" Toothiana asked, the pen and paper suddenly feeling very heavy in her hands.

"Well, I'll need you living in the city where the performances are. That's how you'll make money-"

"Tooth?" A familiar voice called from the house. Toothiana turned around to see her mother leaning on the door frame, looking panicked. The shadows under her eyes looked darker, her wrinkles deeper. Her mother began to limp towards her, her eyes growing wider with every step. "What are you doing?" that question was directed towards Mr. Greene, and was laced with fury.

Mr. Greene promptly ignored Toothiana's mother and turned his attention back to the little girl before him. "How would you like to give the money to your mother? She looks unwell."

Toothiana's eyes shifted to her mother's thing frame. She looked so small, so weak. Almost like the slightest touch could break her. A slash of pain attacked her heart. With the money she could save her mother. She could give her family a better life. They could be happy.

Her grip on the pen tightened, and without giving it any further thought, Toothiana wrote her name in her best cursive on the dotted line.

"_Toothiana!"_ her mother shouted shrilly, breaking into a limp run. "What did you do?" She asked falling to her knees next to Toothiana. Her mother grabbed her by the arms and shook her slightly. Toothiana saw her mother's eyes, wide with _fear_.

Toothiana moved to open her mouth, but was interrupted by Mr. Green. "Go grab your things Miss Toothiana, your training starts today."

"But-" Toothiana started, looking back to her mother who had begun to sob at the sight of her daughter's name on the parchment.

"Now!" Mr. Greene shouted, all friendliness gone. Toothiana shrunk back and her eyes filled with tears. What had she done?

The small girl slipped out of her mother's grasp and ran to the house, gathering all of her belongings, which wasn't much, into a small bag.

When she'd returned outside her mother was sprawled on the ground, her body wracked with sobs.

"Mother?" She'd asked, reaching out to her.

A hand snapped around her wrist, startling her. She turned to look at Mr. Greene, whose meaty hand had now enclosed itself around her small wrist. He didn't hold on tightly enough to hurt her, but more than enough to send a wave of fear through the eleven-year-old's body. "She'll be fine." He said, pulling Tooth behind him all the way to his car.

"Wait- let me say goodbye!" the cried trying to twist away.

"I'm sorry little Miss, but I'm afraid we're on a very, _very _tight schedule." Mr. Greene replied, shoving Toothiana in the passenger's seat of the car.

_No!_ Toothiana thought as she looked at the haggard form of her mother lying on the grass with her face in her hands. With the roar of the engine the car had pulled away carrying Toothiana in it.

Life working under Mr. Greene was not completely horrible, though he did have awful mood swings. As long as Toothiana did exactly what he told her to during training and stayed out of his way he didn't bother her much.

Toothiana made good money with her trapeze act, and every penny of it was sent to her parents, who would write to her as often as they could.

Toothiana looked after any children who got pulled into Mr. Greene's contract. Most had been living on the streets and didn't want her help, but every now and then there was a child who desperately needed someone to take care of them and Toothiana was just the girl for the job. Eventually the children all left, either by their contracts expiring or Mr. Greene throwing them out on the street.

But not Toothiana.

Toothiana always stayed, no matter how many years passed she was always kept by Mr. Greene. That is, until he decided to release her from the contract, which Toothiana assumed would never happen.

The girl spent most of her time reading since Mr. Greene never allowed her out on the town without him. She read anything and everything from fantasy to biographies. Strangely she found her favorite books were the ones that held information on teeth.

Toothiana devoured any book that gave information on teeth. Soon she began to inspect the teeth of any person she met. If they allowed, she'd even poke around in their mouths to inspect the teeth farther back in the mouth. It was an incredibly strange habit and she sometimes felt insecure about it, but she just loved teeth. Maybe even more than acrobatics…

Unfortunately, about five years after Toothiana left her mother passed away, and her father quickly followed. With no one to send her money to, Tooth found herself making quite a handsome sum of money. All of which she spent on books.

Several more years passed and Toothiana began to feel incredibly trapped in her life. Without her parents she began to feel like she'd lost everything in life worth living for.

Then she met him.

It was a night like every other. Toothiana performed, swinging and flying through the air like a bird. She did flips and midair splits just like always, but this time someone was watching.

After the show, Toothiana returned to her room to find a man waiting for her.

He was tall. Incredibly tall, in fact, he had to stoop just to fit inside her room. His dark hair was pushed back from his angular face and his skin was a strange grayish color. However, his eyes were one of the most transfixing sights she had ever laid eyes on. They were shimmering amber with little flecks of brown and gold.

"Hello." He said politely holding his hands behind his back.

Toothiana nodded and quickly shut her bedroom door, If Mr. Greene saw her with a man in her room… She didn't even want to think about the consequences. "Hello…" She replied.

"I believe your name is Toothiana." He said, a faint smile playing across his lips.

"Yes," Toothiana nodded, "but how do you-"

The man raised his hand to silence her "I've known Mr. Greene for quite some time now…" He paused, "he speaks very highly of you."

Toothiana shrugged, uncertain as to whether or not to trust this man. "Who are you?" She asked suddenly.

The man chuckled a smile spreading across his lips to reveal… a row of sharp, pointed, white teeth. He was about to say something when Toothiana broke out into a large smile, darting forward and sticking her fingers in his mouth to get a better look. "Amazing…" She whispered as she examined, not hearing his garbled cry of shock. She gently prodded one of the sharpened points with her finger. "They're almost like a shark's teeth…"

Pitch's eyes narrowed and he grabbed Toothiana's tiny wrists in his hands and pulling them out of his mouth. He gave her a flat look and Toothiana's cheeks suddenly burned red.

"Sorry!" She gave him an embarrassed smile, touching his arm softly she added, "They're beautiful."

"Thank you…" He said, looking the woman up and down. She truly was a lovely sight, with nice wavy blonde-brown hair and mauve eyes. It was only now that he noticed how much smaller she was than him, she just barely came up to his shoulder when she stood in front of him, but then again people had always said he was tall. The young lady also had lovely curves, especially in the hips…

"Sir?" Toothiana asked, stepping forward.

The man shook his head quickly, "forgive me, " he said giving Toothiana a low bow. "My name is Pitch Black."

Toothiana felt herself giggle at Pitch's formality; a man had never treated her with such respect. She quickly bent her knees in an awkward form of curtsey, "and I'm Toothiana."

Pitch felt himself smile against his will. He had come here to make a business offer, but perhaps he could get more out of the night than just a new business partner?

"Miss Toothiana," He stepped forward, offering his hand to her. "I would be honored if you would join me for dinner."

Toothiana wanted to say yes, Pitch Black after all was a very handsome man, and not many people came calling on Toothiana given her living conditions, but…

"I can't." Toothiana said retracting the hand she had almost placed in his. Pitch's brow furrowed. He felt as though he had just been teased. He had never been a fan of being teased. "It's not that I don't want to." She added quickly, looking up at him shyly. It sent a shiver down his spine. "I just don't think Mr. Greene would-"

"Do not worry about Mr. Greene," Pitch said, placing a hand on her waist. "I can more than handle him, trust me." He allowed himself to place a hand on her cheek. Toothiana's eyes widened and her lips parted slightly at his forwardness.

Toothiana paused. It could be the only time she was allowed to go outside without Mr. Greene watching her every move. It could be the only night in the rest of her life where she could be free…

"Alright. " She slipped her hand into his and smiled up at him.

Pitch's heart thumped quickly in his chest. Never in his life had a woman enchanted him so. Smiling back at her he led her through the door and out into the world.

That first night they went to a cozy little restaurant where they ordered Toothiana's first glass of wine. It turned out, Toothiana did not hold her liquor well, and was feeling more than a little tipsy after a few glasses.

Toothiana and Pitch strolled down the street. He kept a firm hand on her elbow to make sure that she didn't stumble to the ground. The summer nights were pleasant, but it was late enough at night that only a few stranglers remained on the streets.

"You know-" Toothiana slurred as she tried –and failed- to throw her arm over Pitch's shoulder. "I like you Pitch Black." She poked him in the chest. Pitch chuckled down at her.

"Very well, Toothiana." He said.

"Wanna know somethin'?" She said, leaning heavily against his side. Pitch smiled and let his arm slide around her waist in order to steady her.

"And what is that?" He asked leading her across the crooked cobblestone.

"I really, _really _like you." She rested her head against him, and Pitch felt a pleasant tingling sensation spread through his body.

"Well Toothiana, I can say that I am rather fond of you as well." Pitch said as they reached her apartment building. He led her up the steps as Toothiana giggled something he didn't understand.

He opened the door and led her to the bed, gently easing her into it. He pulled the blankets up to her chin and brushed a stray hair away from her face. "Rest now." He said as he prepared to leave.

"Wait!" Toothiana exclaimed, her clumsy fingers snagging the edge of his coat.

Pitch kneeled next to the bed and looked deeply into her eyes. "What is it?" He asked.

"Is this the last time I'm going to see you?" She asked, her eyes growing wide. Pitch's heart clenched tightly in his chest. It was the first time someone had ever spoken so sadly to him. The first time someone had ever seemed to _want_ him.

"No." He said, soothingly stroking a hand over her head. "I'm going to get you out of here." He assured.

A soft smile spread across her lips and her eyes seemed to glimmer with happy tears. He didn't know if it was the remaining alcohol in his system or the fact that she just looked so incredibly beautiful lying there, but Pitch found himself leaning down and pressing his lips gently to hers. She tasted like mint. Cool and clean.

He pulled away slowly and stood up, feeling her gentle gaze on his back all the way out the door.

Pitch kept his word. He was a rich and powerful man, so finding the right sum of money to get Mr. Greene to wave the contract was easy enough.

He then allowed Toothiana to stay in his home, and offered her a job as an acrobat in his 'Theatre of Shadows'. A place where people performed incredibly dangerous acts in order to frighten the audience. Toothiana had accepted, but still spent much of her free time reading about teeth. Most days she spent with Pitch, and it was plain to see that they were quickly falling in love.

After just two years they were married and running the theatre together, but Pitch had begun to feel something was missing from the show. They just needed an extra 'oomph' that would send the audience reeling, so Pitch phoned an old friend. Nicholas St. North, the ringmaster of a traveling circus that specialized in mysterious creatures and whimsical acts.

Toothiana approached the theatre and pushed open the doors. She was met with the noise of all the workers and performers buzzing about their jobs and rehearsals. Smiling she clapped her hands together to get everyone's attention.

"I need my fairies." She said. All at once several girls jumped forward, all wearing acrobat's uniforms. "Now, let me see what you've done while I've been gone."

**A/N: Ok, so there's chapter one and it's the longest chapter I've ever written for anything! I'm actually pretty proud of myself :). Now let me be clear, THIS IS A BUNNY/TOOTH STORY! He (and the rest of the gang) will all be appearing in the next chapter. **

**Just so you know, the characters aren't in modern day or our world. It's an AU with the style and technology of the 1920's ish era if that makes sense, haha.**

**Now, I love advice, so please shower it down on me! If a character seems out of character go ahead and tell me, I'll appreciate it! I hope you enjoyed, please review! **


	2. Meetings

Chapter Two:

The salty sea wind ruffled the papers Aster E. Bunnymund clutched tightly in his hands. He tilted his head up and sighed contentedly as the familiar scent of the ocean filled his nose.

The rush of waves crushing against the hull rushed passed his ears, along the occasional splash of a dolphin racing the ship.

He opened his green eyes and turned towards the bow of the ship. Not so far in the distance he could make out the silhouetted peaks of the city buildings. Bunnymund wasn't particularly thrilled about being in the throng of city, he had after all been raised in the country, and the constant noise of cars and shoes against the street were enough to make him feel a little bit more than irritated.

What he wouldn't give for a nice open field…

"Hey Bunny!"

_Aw crikey. _Aster thought as he turned to see the all too familiar face of the troublesome teen, Jack Frost. He was leaning on his staff looking at him with a mischievous glint in his icy blue eyes.

"Whatd'ya want, Frost?" He asked, turning back to the papers he held in his hands. They were covered with colorful, intricate swirls and shapes, all of which surprisingly complex and time consuming to paint.

"Come on kangaroo, I'm just here to pass the time until we get into town, maybe have a little fun…" He smirked, jumping onto the railing on the edge of the ship with the balance only a tightrope walker had. Now the only thing standing in between Jack and the icy waves below, was a small metal rail.

"Jack, get off of there." Bunny said, trying to look as irritated as possible. The water was painfully cold and if Jack fell in Bunny would have to be the one diving in to rescue the boy.

Jack ignored his warnings and stood on the railing, taking wide and dramatic steps as he walked across the cool metal, bare footed as always.

"Why don't you go help Hiccup with the animals?" Bunny suggested, trying to keep his voice level.

"Isn't that _your _job, cottontail?" Jack asked, pointing at Bunny with his staff as he smirked.

Bunnymund opened his mouth to retort when-

"Woah!" Jack shouted, suddenly pitching forward.

"Frost!" Bunnymund shouted, making a grab for the white- haired boy as he tumbled over-

Only to catch himself with his hands and flip over back into a standing position. He grinned at Bunnymund cheekily, "Aw, you do care." He added as he hopped off the railing, using his foot to kick his staff up into the air only to catch it again.

_I should've known better. _Bunny thought as he gritted his teeth tightly. "Ah, rack off, ya bloody show pony!" He shouted over his shoulder as Jack descended down the stairs and back into the ship. Jack gave him a nonchalant wave before disappearing below deck.

Bunnymund rolled his eyes before turning back to the horizon. The city was now growing closer with every minute that they continued sailing, and Bunnymund could make out a small harbor dotted with little moving figures.

He felt a strange clench in his chest. Anxiety, anticipation… It felt as if something… _big _was going to happen.

Bunnymund sighed and ran his fingers through his blue-gray hair before he reached for the paintbrush he had placed in his back pocket. He didn't need to be worried about the city. After all, North and his circus had been to plenty of cities, why should this one be any different.

It wasn't like there was anything special about it.

Toothiana swung from the trapeze with the same grace and accuracy as a bird, feeling just as at home in the air as she did on the ground. She flipped in midair, catching the next bar with her feet and pulling herself up from dangling upside down to standing upright, _without_ using her hands as the trapeze swung back and forth dangerously. That one always drove the crowd wild. It took quite a bit of leg and core strength, but it was nothing Toothiana couldn't handle.

She'd had the move memorized for months, and now it was like clockwork. Once the routine was finished, she hopped off the swinging trapeze and onto the platform hidden behind the stage curtain. "Here, Miss Toothiana." A light voice chirped, handing her a soft towel.

"Thank you." Toothiana said gratefully, looking up to see one of her 'fairies' smiling at her. She had a little mole underneath one of her mismatched eyes and shoulder length, pin straight brown hair. She was one of the most promising acrobats in Pitch's theatre and was absolutely devoted to Toothiana. Some of the crew had even taken to calling her 'baby tooth' because of this. Of course Toothiana had always stuck with the young girl's birth name, Fye.

Tooth wiped the sweat from her brow with the towel and stretched out her legs. The skintight material of her practice leotard clung to her body's every curve and made it much easier to move than any of the intricate costumes she usually performed in.

"You did beautifully ma'am." Fye said, happily following behind her idol. Toothiana struggled to keep the smile off of her face. If she ever needed a pick me up she definitely knew whom to find.

"So did you." Toothiana replied sincerely, and she really meant it too. She'd been watching Fye very closely during the fairy's entire routine and she truly had performed with the most passion.

Fye bounced lightly with excitement at the praise, only causing Toothiana's smile to widen more. "Thank you so much, Miss Toothiana!" She said excitedly.

"Please Fye, just call me Toothiana, we've known each other for what, two years now?" Toothiana insisted as she turned the doorknob leading to the lady's dressing room.

Fye's lips pulled into a bright smile, "Alright mis'- I mean- Toothiana." She corrected quickly.

Tooth sat at the chair in front of the light bulb bordered mirror and began to untie the ribbon that held her wavy hair in place. "Would you like some help, Toothiana?" Fye offered, stepping forward eagerly.

"No, that's all right." Toothiana replied as she quickly began to run a brush through her hair, "I need to be getting home soon anyways." She added as she glanced towards the clock hanging on the wall. She'd spent far more time at the theatre than she'd originally intended. She would have to leave now if she wanted to make it home in time to freshen up for their guests.

After she told Fye to go ahead and go home, Toothiana slipped off her leotard and pulled on her dress. After quickly strapping on her small heels she looked back up at the clock. Her heart leaped. She was running late! There was no way she'd be able to fix her hair before she left.

She burst out the door and ran down the hallway as quickly as her feet would allow her, skidding around corners and hallways before she darted back out into the street.

A bright flash of sunlight blinded her for a moment and Toothiana lifted her hand to shield her eyes, blinking quickly before taking off down the sidewalk towards her home.

She jumped around several pedestrians, shouting apologies as she went. Toothiana did her best to not let the heel of her shoes get caught on the cobbletone and trip her as she approached the street.

The light was still yellow. She could make it! With a sudden burst of speed Toothiana launched herself into the crosswalk, only to hear the sudden screeching of car wheels.

"Crikey, North!" Bunnymund shouted, gripping the edges of his seat. He absolutely _hated _cars. They gave him motion sickness, and the fact that North was a crazy driver did not help.

North had been speeding down the streets of the city and had seemed to just _barely_ not gotten any of them killed. Sandy, the captain of their boat sat next to North placidly. His small hands folded calmly over his round belly as he smiled happily. The man had never made a sound, even when North made turns that nearly caused Bunny's breakfast to make an unexpected reappearence.

Jack sat next to him in the back seat, his staff resting on his lap. With every sudden stop or violent acceleration the car made he'd let out a whoop or an enthusiastic, "Yea-hahaha!"

They were quickly approaching a light that had just turned green a moment ago. Suddenly there was a flash of green and gold that passed across the windshield.

"Beregisʹ!" North shouted as his foot slammed down hard on the brakes. Bunny's stomach lurched, but he was certain he heard Jack laughing gleefully next to him. _Damn Frost- _He thought before he was violently flung forward. _Thank god for seat belts. _He thought dryly

Bunnymund turned his eyes up to see a young woman with wavy, dark blonde hair frozen just a few inches in front of them. A small stand of blue hair slipped over her shoulder as she held up her hands. "I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed.

Bunny focused on her face, smooth tan skin, and soft purple eyes… pink lips.

"Hey Bunny!" Jack shouted. Aster jumped, literally throwing the thoughts out of his mind. Jack laughed before poking the larger man in the chest comically. "I think you're drooling a little buddy."

"Rack off, Frost." Bunny glared brushing the teenager's hand away from him. He turned his head back up to the windshield - definitely not in an attempt to see if the girl was still there- only to see that she space in front of the car was empty.

Bunny sighed and leaned back into his seat, crossing his arms. Of course he wasn't disappointed or anything, after all he hadn't even spoken to her… it was just that she would've made a nice a nice painting subject is all. _Yeah, that's it. _Aster assured himself as he turned to look out the window. Besides, how often is it you see someone with purple eyes? _Oh well, _he thought disappointedly as he rested his chin in his hand. _I doubt I'll be seein' her again. _

As soon as she'd returned home from her almost accident, Toothiana had taken a quick shower and asked one of the maids to fix her hair in a fancy up-do made up of intricate curls. The moment she'd walked through the door Pitch had told her they'd be meeting North and a few of his friends at Gothel's Tower, a nice restaurant that had live music and very good hazelnut soup.

As soon as the maid finished, Toothiana thanked her and dismissed her politely. She re-inspected her hair, turning her head from side to side in her vanity's mirror. Toothiana frowned. Something was missing…

"Ah!" She exclaimed as she grabbed a bright blue feather and sticking it in her hair. _There… _She thought contentedly before standing up and walking to the door of her walk-in closet, where her dress for the evening was hung. It was light yellow at the top, and faded to dark blue near the bottom. It was made of a light, shimmery material that Tooth adored. In fact, it almost reminded her of a hummingbird's feathers.

She quickly zipped up the dress, careful not to muss her hair. She examined herself in the mirror, giving a quick twirl and smiling at the way the dress fluttered around her legs.

Her eyes caught the large black stone on her left hand. A small smile spread across her face. Even now, just the sight of her wedding ring cased the butterflies in her stomach to take flight.

The bedroom door clicked open and soft footsteps tapped across the plush carpet. Toothiana turned to meet the familiar golden eyes of her husband.

He moved towards her, smoothly pulling her to him. "Even Helen of Troy would be no match for your beauty." He pressed a small kiss to her lips. Toothiana giggled lightly and tucked her head against his chest, nuzzling him slightly. "You're so beautiful." He repeated.

"Well I doubt a war would be fought over little old me…" Toothiana smiled against his lips. Pitch pulled away and looked at her. He seemed to be very deep in thought, his eyes glittering with a sort of intensity that she rarely ever saw. "Pitch?" She asked, letting her hands slip to his slender waist.

He stretched a grayed finger out and tucked a blue streak behind her ear. Pitch leaned down and touched his forehead to hers. "If you think that, then you are sorely mistaken." He mused softly, his warm breath brushing past her cheeks.

Toothiana giggled. "I'm flattered." She said before looking to the clock on their nightstand. "We should probably get going." She said, pulling away. "They'll be waiting for us." Pitch caught his hand in hers as soon as she began to slip away.

Tooth smiled and twined her fingers with his.

"Then we best not keep them waiting." Pitch smiled as he began to walk towards the door. Toothiana moved with him, her heels clicking softly next to his feet.

Bunnymund watched the ice cubes in his glass shift as the minutes ticked on. They'd been waiting for this 'Pitch' bloke for a half an hour and he still wasn't there. "North, are you sure this is the right place, mate?" He asked taking another sip of his beer. It was bitter and unpleasant tasting, but he still took another swig.

"Bunny!" North exclaimed, his cheeks slightly pink from the alchohol he'd been drinking. "I know were Pitch say to be, so here we are, right Sandy?" North turned to his left to see the round man's head lolled onto his chest as he dozed. "Sandy?" North lightly tapped his shoulder with a meaty hand. "Sandy!" He exclaimed, much stronger this time. "Wake up!" He nudged the man roughly. Now the plump blonde man's small round eyes slowly opened and he gave North an expectant smile, as if he were saying, 'yes, what is it?'.

Bunnymund rolled his eyes and turned back to his drink just in time to see a pale hand slide it away. "Oi!" He shouted, slamming his hand down on Jack's wrist. "Get outta that." He chided, picking up his glass and moving to the side of his body farthest away from Jack, who was grinning mischievously as he leaned back against his chair.

"Come on, kangaroo. Just a sip." He leaned for the glass and Bunnymund just chuckled, downing the beverage in a final gulp. "Ha, not on your nilly." He set the –now empty- glass on the table. "You're not old enough yet."

Jack gave him an irritated look before he opened his mouth to say something, only to be interrupted by North's booming voice. "Ah! Pitch, my friend!" He said heartily, standing up from his seat, followed by Sandy. _It's about bloody time. _Bunny thought as he slid out of the booth and stood next to them.

His eyes passed over the shadowy figure that was Pitch Black. He was wearing an expensive black suit that Bunny was sure he'd never have been able to afford, even if he saved up for it his entire life.

Honestly, he didn't see anything _that _memorable about him. He looked like the typical shady kind of guy who hung out in alleys, trying to trick people out of their money with tricks of smoke and mirrors.

Aster's wandering eyes were immediately drawn to the small woman next to him. She wore a bright dress that came to the middle of her shins and shiny white heels. His gaze trailed up her nicely shaped hips up to her face. Her purple eyes were surrounded by a nice shade of pink eye -shadow that seemed to only make her skin glow. She was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. Then he realized something.

"You!" he shouted pointing an accusatory finger. The small woman jumped slightly at his outburst, drawing the attention of all the other men around them. "You're the sheila we nearly ran over today!"

Tooth's cheeks suddenly flushed red and she turned to look up at Pitch, whose brow was furrowed with concern. "What does he mean?" He asked, gesturing towards Bunnymund. Aster refrained the urge to say that he had a name.

"Oh it was nothing." Toothiana assured, squeezing his hand affectionately. _It's Odd _Bunnymund thought that,_ someone like her is with someone like him. _"I just wasn't thinking."

"Which led you to nearly being run over?" Pitch flashed a glance towards North.

"No worry!" North clapped Pitch on the shoulder, causing the much more spindly man to stumble under the force. "I stop car just in time!" He chortled jovially.

Pitch turned back to Toothiana, "You almost got hit by a car?"

"He's exaggerating!" Toothiana assured, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I was no where near the car when it stopped."

Bunnymund scoffed and shook his head. A few more seconds and the young woman would've been flattened under North's tires. Pitch's eyes flitted over to him before returning to Toothiana. "Just be more careful next time." He said gently.

Toothiana nodded and they both turned their gazes back to North. "I trust your journey was well?" Pitch asked, giving his old friend a smile and a firm handshake.

"Well? Psh… You know how many trip I take in a year? This one is no different." North let out a booming laugh. "Now, sit." He offered the couple a place at their booth.

Jack moved across the table, so he was sitting with North and Sandy, leaving Bunnymund to be pressed against the wall with Toothiana at his left and Pitch on the other side of her.

Aster spared another glance at her. She really was beautiful. Her face was oval shaped and had no evidence of a blemish. She had perfectly white teeth that flshed brightly with every smile she made, which was very, _very _often. Toothiana's bight eyes seemed to light up whenever someone spoke to her, and she always gave them her full attention.

Bunnymund suddenly felt his leg begin to press gently against her own. She looked at him, eyes widening.

"S-sorry, sheila." Aster stuttered quickly scooting away. She just smiled brightly at him; it was actually quite a large smile. He liked it.

"That's alright." She said. When she didn't turn away Bunny cleared his throat.

"So, you're Pitch's… girlfriend?"

"Wife." She quickly corrected.

"Ah." Aster said suddenly feeling like he needed another drink. It wasn't as though he was disappointed or anything, after all he _had _just met her, and being disappointed that she was married was just… stupid.

"Yes, for a few years now, actually." She said, looking dazed with a dreamy smile on her face. Aster felt his brows furrow slightly.

"Weren't you a little young to be married, then?" He asked, turning his body so that he faced her completely.

Toothiana shrugged, "I guess I was pretty young, but I guess when your in love things like that just don't matter."

Bunnymund nodded, "I guess that makes sense."

There was the light clattering of dishes as the waitress placed their meal on the table. Toothiana said thank you as she accepted her meal. Bunny caught her glancing at his food and laughing lightly, a wry smile on her lips.

"What is it?" He asked, feeling a small smile begin to tug at his own lips. She was contagious.

She gestured at his plate of butter-roasted carrots. "I just think it suits you, is all." She paused for a moment. "_Bunny_mund." Aster felt his lips spread in a large grin.

"Now don't you start too, sheila. I already get enough of that from Fros-"

"Oh my goodness!" she interrupted excitedly, grabbing onto his arms. Bunny paused his eye fixed onto her small hand against the skin of his arm; sending small sparks of electricity through his body. He was yanked back to reality again when she spoke.

"Smile!" Her face glowed as she grinned at him in anticipation.

"Wh-what?" he asked, a bead of sweat pricking at the side of his face.

"You have the _loveliest _teeth, but I only caught a glimpse of them." She tilted her chin up in an attempt to get a better look from his slightly parted lips. "So smile for me." She added, her bright eyes staring straight into his.

Aster felt his heart thud rapidly in his chest. Slowly, he began to open his mouth, her smile growing as he did. _Funny_, he thought, _after all, her name is Toothiana and she laughs at _me _for liking carrots._ Then a gray hand slid onto her shoulder, slowing Bunny's quickly beating heart. He had forgotten that they weren't alone.

"Don't bother the poor man, Toothiana." The silky smooth voice of Pitch Black said. Her smile fell as she turned away. Bunny had to force himself not to snap that Pitch should just keep his mouth shut about things he doesn't know anything about.

"So North, you said you have something that would suit my needs?" Pitch asked, raising his glass to his lips.

"Yes." North answered before pausing for dramatic effect. "You wish to scare audience, no?" he said rubbing his hands together.

Pitch nodded.

North laughed and smiled broadly. "Then I have perfect thing! The mysterious Night Fury-"

Toothiana pulled her sweater over her arms as they said their goodbyes to North and his circus crew. She was embraced tightly by North and shook hands with the young teenage boy named Jack Frost as well as the plump Captain Sandy.

When she reached Bunnymund she offered her hand, which he shook whole-heartedly. "It was wonderful to meet you." She said once she pulled her hand away.

"It was my pleasure, sheila." Bunnymund replied, giving her a big smile, revealing his row of very white teeth. Normally his slightly larger two front teeth would've looked a bit awkward, but Toothiana found herself liking them. They suited him.

She gave him a thankful smile, understanding what he had meant with his wide grin. She felt a familiar hand slink around her waist. "Ready to go, love?" Pitch asked. Toothiana nodded and the opened the door. A chilly gust of wind rushed over her face, sending goose bumps up her arms.

They continued down the street to where Pitch had parked the car when she felt a gentle twinge at the back of her neck. Almost like… She quickly glanced over her shoulder at the door, which was quickly closing.

She met widening green eyes. Bunnymund looked surprised that she had looked back at him. His short blue-gray hair was pushed out of his rugged face. He had faint sideburns on the sides of his face that made him seem… Tooth didn't know, manly?

He seemed to make his dress shirt and tie look so relaxed, maybe it was because he kept the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

She rarely saw people like him, considering she was always with the clean-shaven Pitch.

"Toothiana?"

"Yes?" She asked turning to look up at him. His amber eyes bored into hers for a moment, then he gently traced her jaw with his fingertip before pulling her up to his lips. She had to rise up to her tiptoes and rest her hands on his shoulders for balance.

She didn't see the cold glance Pitch gave Bunnymund out of the corner of his eye as he pulled her deeper into the kiss. It was a warning.

She didn't see Bunnymund stiffen as Pitch trailed his hand past her waist, nor did she see him quickly turn away and return to the restaurant.

Pitch pulled away before planting another soft his to her nose. "Let us go." He said guiding her back to the car by her waist.

Later that night, Toothiana sat at her vanity, removing her hairpins, letting her waves tumble down her shoulders. Lastly she plucked the feather from her hair and set it on the smooth wood before reaching for her hairbrush.

She'd been feeling upset about Pitch saying she'd 'bothered' Bunnymund when she had asked him to smile. After all, she'd been giving him a complement! She ran the brush more quickly through her hair. She knew she hadn't bugged him, that's why he'd smiled at her before they left. To tell her he hadn't minded her strange love for teeth.

She closed her eyes and set the brush down. She sighed before running her fingers through her hair.

"What's wrong?" A voice asked as she felt a pair of cool hand rest on her shoulders.

Toothiana stood up letting Pitch's hands slide off her shoulders as she moved from the chair to the bed. "It's nothing." She replied. She heard Pitch sigh as she tossed the covers off and settled in.

She closed her eyes and heard Pitch pad over to her and crouch in front of her side of the bed. "I know when you're lying." He said. Toothiana kept her eyes closed.

"Is it about what I said to you about Rabbitmundy at dinner?"

"Bunnymund." Tooth corrected quickly. She heard another sigh.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to say that _you _were bothering him-"

"What were you trying to say, then?" Toothiana asked, propping herself upon one elbow as her eyes opened. "That my 'fetish' with teeth was bothering him? Because he didn't seem that upset to me-"

"I was not trying to upset you-" Pitch interjected sternly.

"You never do!" Toothiana shot back. She instantly wished she could take back her words when she heard the thick silence that followed. Pitch's face remained stony as he rose from his place next to her and moved to the dresser, where he pulled of his dress shirt and pants in exchange for more comfortable clothes.

Toothiana watched his every movement. The air grew heavy with tension, and Tooth could practically feel the fury rolling off of him in waves. She jumped when he suddenly slammed the dresser drawer shut. "Is that what you really feel?" He whipped around to face her, his face contorted in a grimce.

"Of course not!" Toothiana jumped up from the bed and darted over to him, covering his tightly fisted hands with her own. "I'm sorry." She said, tilting her head so she could meet his gaze. His hard eyes softened and the stiffness in his hands slackened.

Toothiana stroked his thumb with her's gently. "I'm just tired is all." She turned her face back up to him, "alright?"

He looked at her, his brow slightly furrowed, but it was soon replaced with a devilish smirk. "Very well." He said smoothly, "but," He pulled her to him by the waist, "I'm going to have to punish you for giving me the silent treatment."

Tooth grinned back.

"Do your worst."

Aster loosened his tie as soon as he boarded the ship. He was feeling more riled up than ever now that Pitch had given him that… that _look_. What had he even meant by it? It's not like he'd been flirting with Toothiana or anything. Besides, she seemed happy, so why had Pitch been worried about it? It's not like he was going to crack onto another bloke's wife.

He began to stomp below deck, his anger flaring up with every step he took.

Where did that ratbag get off anyways? Bunny quickly shook his head and made his way down the small hallways of the ship. Once he reached his door he heard a small voice call out,

"Bun-Bun!" Aster turned to see the toddling form of Sophie Bennett. Her misshapen cut hair hung haphazardly all over her head, covering one of her eyes. She reached up to him, her green eyes beaming brightly.

"Hey you little ankle-biter!" He said, scooping up the small girl in his arms. She instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled in. "Shouldn't you be in bed by now?" He asked as she opened one sleepy eye to look at him.

"Coul'n't sleep while you were gone." She yawned, leaning into him again.

"Alrighty, Soph." Bunny said, adjusting her into a more comfortable position on his shoulder. "I'll take you to bed and wait with you there until you fall asleep."

"Hmmrgg." She mumbled sleepily, a quiet snore sneaking past her lips. Bunny chuckled and carried her further down the hall to Sophie's room, where the door was still slightly ajar.

Inside the room where two beds, one that belonged to Jack Frost and another that Sophie, and her older brother Jamie, shared. Aster walked as quietly as he could, tip-toeing up to the bed where he could make out Jamie's tousled mess of brown hair peeking out from under the covers.

He carefully tucked the little blonde girl in; careful to make sure he pulled the covers all the way up to her chin. Sophie let out a happy sigh and rolled over scrunching herself up in a ball against Jamie's back.

Bunny sighed sadly. They deserved so much more than a shanty bed on a cheap boat filled with outcasts and animals. He remembered the night about two years ago, when Jack had returned to the ship with the two children. At that time Sophie had still been a baby and Jamie was only about eight. All three had been completely soaked to the bone and stood shivering in front of North as they pleaded for a place to stay.

Jack had insisted that he'd look after them, and any trouble they caused he'd take responsibility for. It was the first time Bunny had ever seen Jack take any form of initiative or be serious.

North, being the child-lover he was, had known he would take the children in the moment he'd seen their haggard figures and dirty clothes.

Bunny shook his head as he looked at their sleeping forms. They were too young to have lost their parents. _But I guess_… Bunny thought, _we're their family now. _He smiled.

Aster heard the light tapping of feet and turned to see the familiar white hair of Jack Frost. "Are they asleep already?" the teenager whispered, peeking in the doorway at them.

"Yeah. The little ankle-biter stayed up all night waiting for us and tuckered herself out." Bunny said, smiling.

Jack chuckled and leaned on his staff. "They're so different when they sleep, huh?" He said, giving Bunny a half glance.

"Yeah." Bunny agreed, thinking of the way the children would run around the ship or the circus grounds, screaming and laughing all day long.

"I think I saw a girl at the restaurant today." Jack added out of no where.

Bunny crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway. "There were a few girls at the restaurant today."

"No. Not like a waitress." Jack shook his head. "I just caught a glimpse of her. She was in the back room."

"Alright, mate…" Bunny said, unsure of where this was going.

"She looked like she was hiding."

"Why would the sheila do that?" Bunny asked, giving Jack a peculiar look.

"I don't know. That's why I thought it was weird…" He paused and looked as though he was deep in thought. "I think I'm going to go look for her again…" He smirked at the idea.

Aster gave Jack a wary look. "Just don't get in over your head, mate. We won't be here for long." He turned to leave when he heard Jack reply.

"I could say the same to you." When Bunnymund turned, Jack was giving him a knowing grin.

Bunny just shook his head and continued walking towards his room, choosing to ignore what he'd just heard Jack say.

**A/N: AHHHHHH this chapter is even longer than the last! I'm so proud of myself xdshjvblQBCKS! Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I hope you enjoyed reading! I would greatly appreciate it if you would review. Feel free to ask questions or offer criticism, and please tell me if a character seems to be acting OOC, I will really appreciate it. So yeah… haha. Please review, and I thank you for your support. **


	3. Sophie

Chapter Three:

"Toothiana." A hushed voice whispered in her ear. Tooth groaned and rolled over to face the voice.

"What is it?" She mumbled, not even bothering to open her eyes as she snuggled deeper into the blankets.

"I'm going to the Theatre early today so we can get the Night Fury used to our stage." Pitch answered.

"Don't go yet, we haven't even had breakfast." Toothiana moaned, opening her eyes. Pitch was already dressed and his black hair was neatly combed back. She felt her heart twist in disappointment. They almost always had breakfast with each other every morning, and this would be the second day in a row that they'd miss it.

From the window, Tooth could see that the sun hadn't even risen yet. She returned her gaze to Pitch, "You don't need to go right _now._" She pleaded, grabbing the collar of his suit and pulling him back down into the bed.

"I'm afraid I do, love." He chuckled lied, bringing her hand to his lips and planting a kiss on her knuckle. "But I promise I'll be back in time for dinner." He looked up at her, "please don't be upset."

Tooth did her best to keep the smile off her face, but couldn't fight the tug at the corner of her lips. "I guess if you have to…" She shrugged, "besides, it's not like it's going to happen all the time, right?" She asked.

Pitch smiled, "Right." He gave her a quick kiss goodbye and left nearly soundlessly. If Toothiana hadn't witnessed it with her own eyes she would've thought he'd never even left.

Sighing despondently, Tooth flopped back on her bed, trying to ignore the cold, empty space beside her.

Toothiana got up and dressed about an hour or so after that. She couldn't fall back asleep and didn't want to just lie in bed for even longer than she already had.

She pulled on the small lever next to the bed, it was connected to a small cord that ran up the length of the wall, and then disappeared into the ceiling. The wire ran down through the walls and connected to bell in the kitchen that would ring, telling the servants to begin breakfast.

After she pinned her hair up, got dressed andslipped on a pair of shoes, she made her way down the stairs. A few of the footmen and maids were waiting for her, standing straight-backed at the base of the stairs.

Once Toothiana finished her descent, a footman stepped forward. "You're breakfast is ready, my lady." He said.

"Thank you." Toothiana replied as she made her way to the dining room. The large table was set with various fruits and pastries, along with a variety of meats. She took her place at the table and began to load the food onto her plate. It consisted mostly of fruit so that she wouldn't get any cavities.

A single footman waited on her in total silence, hovering at the edge of the room just in case she needed something.

Toothiana felt his eye fixed on her, he wasn't trying to be distracting, and he was just doing his job, after all. But still… She poked the inside of her cheek with her tongue, trying to ignore the silence that seemed to scream so deafeningly into her ears.

There was usually laughter at breakfast, joking and talking. Now, here she was sitting in a beautiful dinning room with a delicious meal, completely alone.

That on its own seemed to make the strawberries in her mouth loose their sweet flavor.

Toothiana placed her fork on her nearly full plate, setting her napkin down on her seat as she stood up. "Could you please bring me my coat?" Tooth asked.

As soon as the word left her mouth, the footman exited the room quickly, only to return a moment later with a jacket made of a deep red fabric. Toothiana allowed him to help slide the coat onto her shoulders before she made her way to the front door.

"Would you like me to ask the driver to bring the car around, my lady?" One of the footmen asked.

"No, thank you." Toothiana replied as she opened the front door, the chilling morning air brushing against her face. "I'll be back around dinner time." She said as she made her way down the porch steps.

"Yes, my lady." The footman said, closing the door behind her.

Toothiana slipped her hands in her pockets and began to walk down the street. More people where out and about now, milling in parks and alongside the walls of buildings

Toothiana allowed her eyes to wander aimlessly as people passed by her. A man in a business suit with a briefcase, he was balding and had long wrinkles etched into the corners of his eyes. He muttered a string of swears as he bustled past her.

There was a small group of teenage girls that giggled their way past her, all wearing matching girl's school uniforms. Their pleated skirts swayed around their knees as they whispered and pointed at a boy about their age across the street.

Toothiana rolled her eyes. It all seemed so silly to her, but then again, she'd never had much a chance to act like a teenage girl. She'd spent her entire childhood with Mr. Greene, performing. Not talking about any cute boys she could've met.

That didn't matter though, after all, she had Pitch, and she could never be happier than she was now.

A woman strolled by, clutching a tiny hand in her own grown up one. Toothiana's eyes followed the tiny arm up the shoulder all the way up to round red cheeks and sparkling brown eyes. Toothiana smiled and gave the little boy a wave.

His face broke out in a wide smile, revealing a gap where his two front teeth should be. He quickly waved his hand back and forth fervently, causing his messy mop of brown curls to tumble all over his forehead.

It was so adorable Toothiana thought she could cry. Just as she raised her hand to wave at the boy, a strange warm liquid dripped down her cheek. Tooth gasped and her hand flew up to her eyes quickly wiping away the tears. _Stop it. _Toothiana ordered as she quickly walked down the sidewalk, and away from the confused child. _It's over and done. Just get past it. _Toothiana's heart clenched.

It just wasn't fair.

"Yaaurrrrg" Bunny grunted melodramatically as he heaved Sophie over his head and up onto his shoulders. She burst into a fit of giggles and grabbed at his ears playfully. "Where to now ya little ankle biter?" He asked giving he a quick look up.

"Candy, candy, candy!" The small blonde girl replied clapping her hands together excitedly. Bunny smiled and let the bags that had been resting on his forearms slide back into his hands.

North had given Aster some money for new art supplies since he'd been running low, so he'd taken Sophie along to explore the city. Now that he had a little money left over, he'd decided to get her a little something.

"All right little sheila." Bunny replied, scouring the streets. Clothing store, bakery, bookstore, coffee shop, restaurant, _aha! _" Here we go, Soph." Bunny said, making a b-line for the candy shop nestled on the corner, right in front of a four-way intersection.

As soon as they entered the brightly lit store, Sophie looked like she could burst. She squirmed excitedly as Bunny gently set her down on the white tile floor. As soon as he let her go, she was off, exploring the brightly colored shop and marveling at their sugarcoated goodies with wide eyes and bright smile.

Bunny slid his hands into the pockets of his ratty pants as he waited. The short girl quickly hoppled back, a bright rainbow lollipop clutched in-between her tiny fists. She looked over her candy at him with wide green eyes.

He crouched down in front of her. "Is that what you want, Soph?" She giggled and nodded, her choppy hair flopping around her face. "Alrighty." He said.

The pair walked up to the counter hand in hand. Bunnymund placed the treat on the table so the man running the register could ring them up.

"Stop!" Sophie suddenly shouted, just as Bunny was about to hand the employee the money.

Aster looked down at her inquiringly. "What is it, sheila? You want something else?" Sophie shook her head 'no' before holding he palm up to him.

"I wanna do it."

Bunny chuckled as he handed her the money, then lifted her up high enough to reach the counter. With a highly dignified look, Sophie handed the cashier the money, who looked as though he was struggling not to laugh.

With a whoop of joy, Sophie popped the candy into her mouth and allowed Bunny to set her back on his shoulders. After he gathered up his belongings he returned to the street, just to see a familiar burst of color fly across his vision.

_Toothiana? _He wondered curiously, following her down the street and into the bookshop just a few stores down.

Toothiana heard the familiar ding of a bell as she pushed open the red-painted wooden door of the bookshop. The familiar musty smell of books and parchment filled her nose instantly.

Taking a deep breath, the thick fog of sorrow that had been hanging over her dissipated. She gave a kind smile to the owner of the shop, Belle.

Her long brown hair was tied back with a blue ribbon. Giving Toothiana a quick look over her book, she returned the greeting, and then turned her head back down.

Tooth navigated her way easily to her favorite section. Oral Health. Specifically teeth. She ran her fingers across the spines, skimming the titles. _Oral Hygene, Dental Wellness, Fun Facts About Teeth, Teeth in Cultures Across the Globe. _

Toothiana raised her eyebrows at that, a smile already tugging at her lips as she pulled the book from its space. The bell jingled again, but Toothiana and already pulled the hardcover open. Her excitement continued to build as she flipped through the table of contents.

Apparently the book would cover several ancient civilizations and how they used various stones and gems imbedded in the teeth to convey wealth or status. Tooth bounced excitedly on her feet as she flipped the book over to check its cost. _Perfect! _She thought happily, she had just the right amount of money.

"Toothiana?"

Tooth jumped at the sudden voice before turning to see who had spoken. Her eyes met the tall, scruffy figure of Bunnymund, only now he had a small girl with messy blonde hair perched on his shoulders, a lollipop sticking out of her mouth.

"Bunnymund! What a surprise!" Tooth chirped a little too enthusiastically. She winced at how fake she had sounded. Bunny seemed to have picked up on it too, and looked as though he were about to say something when.

"Pretty!" The small girl shouted, pointing a candy-stained finger at Toothiana.

"Aw," Toothiana cooed, putting a hand over her heart. She blushed when Bunny chuckled at her and instantly dropped her hand to her side, gripping the fabric of her coat.

"D'ya want to hold her?" Bunny asked popping the little girl off his shoulders and offering her to Tooth.

"Oh really? Are you sure it's alright-"

"Hold! Hold!" The little girl kicked her legs excitedly, reaching her arms out towards Toothiana.

The young woman's eyes watered slightly, but she quickly forced her tears down and slipped her hands under the child's underarms and bringing her in. Toothiana held the girl a little awkwardly, uncertain how to hold a child this small. Most of the children she'd taken care of when she'd been working with Mr. Greene were older than Sophie and didn't like to be carried around anymore.

"Here." Bunny slipped her arm under the little girl's bottom and adjusted her hold so that she rested on Toothiana's hip. "Her name's Sophie." He added quickly. Toothiana just nodded, her gaze fixed on the little girl's face.

Sophie had instantly rested her head against Tooth's chest. Her lollipop was gone, and so was her sugar high. Bunny watched a faint smile spread across Toothiana's face as she used a slender finger to push a stray hair out of Sophie's face. She had a far-off look in her eye.

Like the way a person looked while gazing at something they wanted, but could never have.

"So, what'cha got there, sheila?" Bunny asked, gesturing to the book Toothiana had set on a table in order to hold Sophie.

"Just a book on teeth." Tooth replied, still looking at Sophie.

"You really do like teeth, don't you?" Bunny smiled crookedly as he leaned against one of the bookcases.

"I love them!" Tooth exclaimed excitedly, before quickly looking down to Sophie, a brief panic in her eyes. Bunny followed her gaze to see Sophie happily asleep, her small hand firmly gripping the collar of Tooth's coat. Tooth smiled brightly at him before repeating quietly, "I love them."

Aster chuckled, "Why? It seems like such an odd thing for a sheila like you to like."

"Ah, a _sheila _like _me_." Tooth raised an eyebrow at him, with a small grin on her face.

Bunny chuckled, "A sheila is a what we call women where I come from."

"I picked up on that part." Tooth replied as she slowly began rocking Sophie slowly back and forth. " I want to know, what kind of women it is you think I am?"

"I didn't mean anything by it-" Aster started, raising his hands in a placating motion.

"I'm not upset." Toothiana laughed, looking up at him with her bright eyes that sparkled in the light of the bookshop. "Just curious."

Bunnymund's heart began to thump wildly in his chest as she looked at him expectantly. He slid his hands in his pockets. "Well, with you being such a tall poppy-"

"Tall poppy?" Tooth laughed.

Bunny smirked, "It means wealthy or rich-"

"I wasn't always rich." Toothiana interjected, resting her weight on one hip.

"Really?" Asked Bunny, genuinely surprised. Toothiana seemed to fit in so naturally into the world of bright satins and diamonds. Or perhaps she had always been bright, and the world had become accustomed to her… "How'd you end up in all this." Bunny gestured all around them.

"It's a long story…" Tooth warned, arching an eyebrow at him. Almost like she was challenging him.

"I've got all day." Bunny replied, standing up to his full height. He then realized how small she was, and how delicate she seemed.

Tooth shrugged, lifting Sophie higher up onto her waist. "Walk with me?" She asked.

Pitch pressed his thumbs against his temple. Aggravation rolled off of him in waves as he grit his teeth. "North, you claimed the Night Fury would be well trained by the time I wanted to use him in my show." He snarled into the mouthpiece of the telephone.

The large black dragon, apparently named 'Toothless' was laying flat on his stomach. His large head resting on his claws and his tail was twitching from side to side as he looked to side as he glared at Pitch with green, slit eyes.

"Toothless is trained. Hiccup fly on him two weeks before we come here." North replied crackly through the phone. Pitch sighed and looked darkly at the beast from the corner of his eye.

"Is there any way you can bring him here?"

"Just minute." There was the noise of something like crashing metal, something hitting the floor with a _conk _and the muffled noise of North and the infamous dragon rider 'Hiccup'.

Pitch chuckled at the name. How amusing that someone who had achieved the very difficult task of defeating a dragon, was given such a weak name.

"He will be there soon." Said North from the other end, "He says make sure to have lots of fish." There was a pause and muted instructions from the person he assumed was Hiccup. "But no eel." North quickly added. "If you try to feed him eel our plans will go 'kaput'."

"Very well." Pitch said, snapping his fingers and summoning two of his nightmares. "I want two dozen barrels of fish delivered here within the hour, but make sure any eel you find is disposed of. Understood?"

The shadowy figures nodded and disappeared as quickly as they came. Pitch returned his gaze to the cat-like creature hunched on the stage, who was still glaring at him darkly.

"Argrrr!" Pitch snarled at him, flashing his sharp white teeth. Toothless stepped back slightly, but didn't yield his menacing gaze.

_This is going to be a long night._ Pitch thought as he slowly placed his hands behind his back.

"And then we got married." Toothiana finished. They had settled on a bench in the park, watching Sophie play on the grass with the other children.

Bunny watched her intently before leaning back. His heart felt heavy in his chest. Toothiana's story had reminded him of his own life. The one before he'd run off to join the circus.

"What about you Bunny?" Toothiana asked, looking at him.

Bunny chuckled, running his fingers through his short blue-gray hair. "Well," He started, "I grew up on a farm with my Mum and Pops, and six brothers."

Tooth's eyes widened, "Wow, that must have been great!"

"Well, my brothers and I definitely kept a good ruckus goin'" Bunny's eyes grew misty as he wondered where they all were now, especially his youngest brother who'd only been a rug rat when he'd left.

"I was the oldest," he continued, "and I was supposed to take over my pop's farm, but…" He paused and looked up at Toothiana from under his eyebrows, uncertain if he should continue.

He didn't talk about his family much, and when he did it was always brief.

"But?" Toothiana continued for him, her hand resting on her chin as she listened intently. Bunny grabbed a little white flower from the grass below the bench and began spinning it in-between his fingers.

"My pops and I didn't get along too well because I like to… paint." Bunny said quietly.

"You're an artist?" Toothiana exclaimed, her big purple eyes gleamed with excitement.

Bunny chuckled, "Well I'm not that great but…"

"I doubt that." Toothiana interjected, smiling wryly at him. Bunny felt his heart warm and he felt himself smiling. Suddenly, he leaned in towards Toothiana and tucked the flower right behind her ear.

Toothiana's eyes widened and Bunny was sure her cheeks turned a little pinker. He quickly turned away. "Anyways, my dad didn't really like that. He was a big bloke, real tough, too." He scratched lightly at the stubble on his chin. "He didn't think a grown man should 'waste his time with children's hobbies.'"

He looked up to see Toothiana gazing at him sympathetically, but she said nothing, so he continued on. "One day, he and I had a really big blow out, and he said I needed to shape up or leave…"

"So you left?" Toothiana said softly.

"I was sixteen, maybe even seventeen." Bunny said, "I was hot-headed and arrogant, well I guess I still am," He added, earning a light giggle from Tooth. "But… yes, I did leave. I tried to live off my paintings for a while, but no one around there would buy 'em, and I ran out of money and food quick."

"Then, North found me, and he offered me a place in he circus as a animal care-taker. It was my chore to make sure the animals on the farm were fed and groomed, so it wasn't anything new." Bunny leaned foreword resting his elbows on his knees.

"And you never went back or wrote any letters?" Bunny looked up at her sudden change in tone. She was stony-faced, and in a way, cold. Bunny furrowed his brows.

"Oi, don't be looking at me like that!" Bunny said sternly. Toothiana crossed her arms and looked back to where Sophie was playing tag. "I'm still talking to you, sheila." He said, gently grabbing her shoulder and turning her to face him. "I wrote a letter to my mum, once. Just telling her that I was all right and was making a good living. She never wrote back. They just don't want to talk to me anymore Toothiana, alright?"

Bunny snapped his mouth shut. He hadn't meant to say so much, maybe he should apologize, and after all, he had snapped a bit-

"I'm sorry." Toothiana said suddenly, looking at him intently. "I shouldn't have jumped on you like that when I didn't know everything. It's just…" She paused, "It's just that I never got to see my parents before they…" She suddenly became quiet. Bunny saw her bite her lip, then turn away.

"I'm sorry, sheila." Bunny said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She gave him a half smile that barely touched her eyes.

"Thank you." She said, quickly brushing at her eyes. They turned back to watch Sophie, who was now rolling around in the dirt, happily giggling all the way. Tooth giggled and let her chin rest in her palm. "She's so beautiful."

"Yea," Bunny replied, giving Tooth a smile as he leaned down pressing his elbows against his knees. "So," He shifted his gaze back to Sophie, "how long till you and Pitch have your own little rug rats crawlin' around?" he turned to give her a wry smile, but froze as soon as he saw her looking back at him. Wide eyes. Lips slightly parted. Brows just barely turned down. It was like she'd been a mirror, and he'd just taken a brick and splintered her apart.

"Toothiana?" He said, leaning closer to her. Tooth straightened up, brushing a stray hair from her face.

"I-" She paused and cleared her throat, blinking quickly before she continued. "I can't have children." Her left hand slipped to her lower abdomen. "It was an accident. I'd been trying a new trick on the trapeze for an audience..." She paused, "I fell."

Aster felt his heart stop, as he looked at Toothiana he suddenly saw her in a new light. She was so strong, so brave, and so very beautiful. A brief sob racked her body as she brought her hand to her mouth. Tears spilled down her cheeks, dripping down to the dirt beneath their feet.

"I'm so sorry, I don't mean to cry-"

Before Bunny could process what he was doing he'd grabbed her by both shoulders and pulled her into his arms.

"Never apologize for that, sheila." He whispered into her hair. He pulled away cupping her face in his hands. "You are the strongest woman I've ever met, you have no reason-" He caught her gaze with his hand held it. They were so close that he could smell the faint scent of mint on her breath. "-to apologize." He finished, letting his hands fall from her face.

In the distance, the clock tower began to ring. Toothiana jumped up. "I have to go," She said, grabbing her purse. "Tell Sophie I said goodbye, Bunnymund" She shouted over her shoulder as she began to run away.

"Wait! Toothiana!" Bunnymund shouted, she stopped and turned to look at him. "You can come by and see my paintings if you want." He paused, then just before she turned away again he blurted out, "call me Aster, it's my first name." He resisted the urge to bite his own tongue. She was going to think he was a bloody drongo-

A bright smile spread across her face despite the redness of her eyes. She nodded, and then turned and disappeared into the masses.

Aster sat frozen in place, but for just a brief moment he believed that if he wanted to, he could fly. Then reality knocked him to his senses and he remembered that she was married and he… he was just a caretaker for animals in a circus. _But it wasn't even like that. _He reminded himself. _We're just friends so it doesn't matter._

Bunny sighed and stood up, rubbing the back of his neck. _What am I getting myself into? _He wondered as Sophie ran up to him.

"Bun-Bun-" She stopped and frowned, and then turned her head from side to side. "Where pretty lady?" She stretched up her arms at him. He lifted her up and then grabbed the bags of art supplies.

"She had to go home, Soph." The little girl made a displeased noise before nestling her head into Bunny's neck. "And so do we, Soph." he added, giving her a light bounce. "It's almost dinner time."

Toothiana stirred the spoon in her now cold soup. She'd been waiting for Pitch to get home for dinner for about an hour now. Her stomach growled loudly as she waited. _He'll come. _She assured herself as she stared at her wine glass filled with water. Red wine would stain her teeth.

She began to tap her fingers against the hard wood of the table. What if something had happened to him? What if he'd been hurt in an accident with that Night Fury creature? What if-

The phone rang. Toothiana pounced on it, practically slamming the earpiece against her face. "Yes? Yes? Is everything alright?" She asked quickly.

"Toothiana?" The smooth voice of her husband slid through the phone.

"Pitch?" Toothiana asked, relief washing over her like a wave. _He's all right. _"Where are you?" She looked to the clock, twirling her pearl necklace with her free hand. "It's late."

"I know love, but-" There was a loud screeching noise in the background. "Put a muzzle on that beast, will you!" Pitch snarled from the other end. Tooth could tell he'd tried to cover up the mouthpiece in an attempt to block his venomous words from her ears.

"Sorry, sorry." A new voice said before there was a sound of clattering… _things _and stamping feet. "Oh no- Toothless! Toothless stop that!"

She heard Pitch groan in irritation. She could already picture him rubbing his hand against his forehead as he closed his eyes, trying to pretend he was just at home. With her.

"Long day?" Tooth asked.

"You have no idea," Pitch started before there was even more banging and smashing. "I called to say I won't make it home until late tonight. This supposed 'amazing' Night Fury seems to have obedience issues, and I don't want you to have to wait up for me."

Toothiana bit her lip and took a deep breath before replying. "I see."

"I'm sorry, I promise I'll make it up to you-."

"No don't worry about it, I know you have work to do. I'll just… see you in the morning." She finished. There was a beat of silence at the other end.

"Toothiana?"

"Yes?"

"You know I love you."

"Of course I do, darling. And I love you, too."

"I'll see you when I come home."

"Alright. Goodbye."

_Click. _

Toothiana dusted off the front of her dress and turned to the army of footmen and maids waiting by the table. "Please clear this away." Toothiana instructed, folding her hands neatly in front of her, "I'm tired, and I think I'll go to bed early."

She turned away and quickly ascended the stairs. Pretending not to notice the pitying looks the servants were giving her.

She then opened their bedroom door slipped inside and quickly closed it. Then, she flopped down onto their bed and cried.

**A/N: YAY new chapter! Man guys, my week has been so hectic, I'd get home so late and only be able to fit in an hour or so of writing. Then, yesterday I just sat down, put my headphones in, pulled up my chapter three document and practically hissed at anyone who tried to interrupt me, haha. Anyways, complaints, complements, or requests (if I can work them into the stroyline) are all welcome! Please review! It helps motivate me. In the next chapter, Bunny and Tooth look at some art and Jack finds himself in a hairy situation ;). **

**I hope all of you a wonderfully, beautiful day!**


	4. the Girl in the Tower

Chapter Four:

Jack strolled down the street towards Gothel's tower, his staff leaning on his right shoulder. The sun was shining and he had made it his mission to find out whom he'd seen in the back room.

Jamie had tried to convince Jack to take him along, but Jack had convinced him to stay behind and play with Sophie. As much as he loved spending time with the kid, he didn't think Jamie would enjoy searching around town for some girl Jack had seen.

He approached the familiar structure of the restaurant: a simple yellow-white brick building with a tall tower sprouting out of the blue-shingled roof.

Jack shaded his eyes from the sun's glare as he looked up at the single window near the very top of the tower. As far as he could tell the shutters were closed. Looking back to the door in front of him, he felt himself smirk. _Time for a bit of fun._ He thought as he twisted the handle on the door.

Despite it being mid-morning on a weekday, the restaurant has some decent business going on. Small pairs and a few couples sat at the little round tables where sunlight pooled on the floor in bright little circles.

Jack quickly maneuvered his way to a booth near the back, hopefully where someone wouldn't catch him slip away into the back room and start peaking around.

If anyone asked he'd say he'd been looking for the bathroom, flash them a cocky grin and they'd be putty in his hands. That is, is they were a girl. If a guy caught him snooping around… it might not work out so smoothly.

He snickered at the idea. Even if someone did catch him, he could easily slip out of trouble. A few years on the street did that to kids.

After smoothly passing the last booth without so much as a second glance he reached the back room. He turned around; someone who would happen to glance at him would just see a white haired boy leaning against the wall. Then, turning his hip slightly, he popped the door open with a quiet creak and slipped inside.

The room was dark and filled with boxes and bags of fruit and vegetables. Several crates were stacked up in organized little stacks and filled to the brim with hazel nuts. He tapped the crate lightly with the end of his staff.

Nothing unusual there.

He turned his head to the left. _Aha _he thought, grinning as tucked the staff against the crook of his neck. A small stairway curled up into a dark… _space. _

In all the horror stories he'd heard from his time in the streets taught him not to go into dark places, especially dark staircases that lead up into dark towers.

_But I never was one for rules. _He thought as he darted up the staircase and into the thick abyss above.

Rapunzel ran the hairbrush through her thick masses of golden hair. She was nearly done, even if it had taken her almost all morning. With a content sigh, she pulled the brush past the ends of her hair.

She thrummed her fingers against her knee. She sat cross-legged on her four-poster bed, her hair all covering the room in one organized stream of gold. It wrapped all the way around the perimeter of her room at the top of the tower, hanging off little hooks attached to the walls that kept her from tripping all over it.

She flopped back on the bed, sinking into the pink sheets. A familiar cooing sound found it's way to her ears despite being smothered by the folds of the sheets.

The familiar green form of Pascal crawled up into her hand. She gave him a sad smile. "_Now,_ what do you want to do?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

With a wide toothless smile, he pointed at the window with his skinny tail. "Oh no, I don't think so." Rapunzel laughed, sitting up and letting Pascal coil his tail around her fingertip as she lifted him into her lap. "I like it in here, and so do you." She pointed at him as he stuck his tongue out at her.

"Come on, it's not that bad." She gestured to the painting covered walls. Sunlight filled the room through a window in the ceiling. The shelves were filled with bottles and bowls of paints and glazes. A few unfinished candles lay on her desk next to an open cookbook.

Pascal didn't respond and just crawled onto her shoulder, sighing meekly. "Don't be like that, Pascal!" She whined, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and walking across the room to the window.

Her mother forbid her to open it during the day, and at night when she _was _allowed to open it all the lights had to be off. Or else she'd run the risk of being discovered. Rapunzel ran her fingertip along the seam in-between the two doors. _When is my life going to begin? _She wondered.

She felt a comforting hand on her neck. She looked down and smiled at Pascal, who was giving her a wide-eyed sympathetic smile. Using a slender finger, she gently rubbed the top of his head with her finger.

She'd spent her whole life alone in the tower without a single friend, besides Pascal and her mother. She knew that her mother only did it to protect her… _after all_, she thought, running her fingers through her silken strands of hair. _A gift like mine… _she paused, letting the strands slip from her fingers. _It needs to be protected. _

Suddenly, a soft clattering noise echoed from outside her bedroom door. Rapunzel jumped and quickly looked down to Pascal. "Mother doesn't come up until dinner time." She said urgently. She quickly began to scurry around the room looking for a place to hide.

_Ruffians? Thugs? _She wondered as she scrambled about. Quickly she grabbed a metal frying pan before gathering her long hair over her arm, then swinging it like a lasso before tossing it up to a hook on the wall.

Then, she pulled herself up, using her knees to lift pull her up the hair like a rope. She nestled herself onto a wood beam that supported the roof of the tower. Gripping her frying pan tightly she took a deep breath and prepared herself.

Just as the door clicked open.

Toothiana held her purse tightly in her small hands as she looked up at the ship in front of her. It was not overly elegant, but it really was quite large. She wrung her hands against the handle of her bag. She didn't know why she felt so nervous; she was just meeting up with Aster to look at some of his paintings, so there was nothing she should be worried about. They were just two friends spending some time together.

Taking a deep breath, she began walking up the plank that served as a sort of walkway up from the docks to the ship. When she reached the top she looked around. There were a few men standing around, sipping out of tin cups or playing poker, using a large crate as a table.

Tooth's heels clicked against the wood almost deafeningly. She felt very out of place with her expensive dress and shoes that seemed to scream 'look at me!' among all the simpler clothes that the sailors wore.

"Oh." Toothiana gasped as she felt someone bump into her shoulder. "I'm sorry." She said quickly.

"Oh no, that was my fault- I wasn't looking where I was going and um… It's-it's just my fault." A rather scrawny boy said. His long brown hair hung to his eyebrows, and had slight flip to it. His freckles were spread all over his face. His forest green eyes were turned down, but his eyes seamed to gleam with a sort of… curiosity.

Toothiana's gaze caught a small leather bound notebook that had tumbled to the ground. She quickly bent down and picked it up.

"Oh ha ha~" The boy said nervously as he reached out to take the book, but not before a gust of wind flipped open the leather cover and turned a few of the pages to reveal a very detailed drawing of a sort of… contraption, it almost looked like a wing from a fantasy book, something a dragon would have-

He took the book from her and slipped it behind his belt nervously. "I know it's kind of weird-"

"No, no it was really interesting. What was it exactly was it?" Toothiana asked, tilting her head, a small smile on her face.

He ran his fingers through his hair, "well it's sort of like a prosthetic leg, but for- well, I'm actually not supposed to say anything, but-"

"The Night Fury?" Tooth suddenly interjected. It made sense, the Night Fury was supposedly a creature that no one had ever seen before, and Toothiana had spent countless hours fawning over hundreds, of thousands of different animal teeth.

Never in her life had she seen an animal like that.

The boy shrugged, a helpless smile on his face. He obviously wanted to say more, and if it _was _the Night Fury that was on that page, then Pitch had probably forced him to sign a contract forcing him to reveal nothing before opening night.

"Don't worry." Tooth said, holding up her hands in surrender. "If my husband has you in some kind of contract I won't force you to talk."

"Oh!" The boy said, his eyebrows shooting straight up. "Y-_you're _Toothiana? Uh, hi, I guess." He stuttered, jerking his arm in a stiff awkward wave.

"You know, you could always tell me your name," Tooth suggested, offering him a warm smile as she tilted her head to the side.

"It's-"

"Hiccup!" A familiar Australian-accented voice shouted. Toothiana looked over Hiccup's shoulder to see Aster, hulking around a huge bag of… Toothiana actually didn't know what it was, but it was so large that he had to carry in on his shoulder.

"Hello Aster," Toothiana said, stepping around Hiccup and smiling brightly.

"Tooth? I didn't expect you to be here so early." He grunted as he dropped the sack onto the hard wood below his feet.

Tooth bit her lip, "I'm sorry, do you want me to come back later? Because It's fine, really-"

"Oi, Toothy," Bunny suddenly interrupted. Toothiana snapped her mouth shut. She must have been babbling, she always babbled, especially when she was nervous-

She felt his warm hands press down on her shoulders. She snapped out of her stupor, and became suddenly very aware that his shirtsleeves had been torn off and Bunny had very… _nicely _toned arms.

Her cheeks flushed and Bunny quickly stepped away, clearing his throat. "I-uh, you- you don't need to apologize." Tooth just nodded shyly, twisting her grip on her purse.

"Well, uh, Bunny I'm gonna just-" Hiccup pulled a much smaller bag over his own shoulder, "drop this off at the grounds, alright?"

Bunny nodded and Hiccup gave Toothiana a quick wave. She returned the gesture and his gangly figure disappeared down the gangplank.

Toothiana turned around and smoothed the front of her red coat. "Well," She smiled mischievously at him as she quirked an eyebrow, "didn't you promise to show me some of your paintings?"

Bunny chuckled and nodded, rubbing the slight scruff on his chin. "I 'spose I did,now didn't I?" Toothiana giggled and followed him down into the ship, bumping her hip gently against his.

It had been a friendly gesture, so she didn't know why she suddenly felt so guilty.

He led her down a small poorly lit hall to a slim door that he had to turn sideways to fit into, since his shoulders were so broad.

Toothiana followed him into the cluttered room. A small bed was built into the wall with the covers strewn about. Bunny quickly tried to straighten them up, but only succeeded in making them look even messier.

"Sorry about the mess, sheila." Bunny said as he quickly kicked a dirty shirt under the bed.

Toothiana wasn't listening; the crinkly scraps of paper that covered the entire surface of a wooden desk transfixed her. Most were pencil sketches of flowers or animals, all with amazing detail.

There were several pictures of Sophie, complete with her wide grin, chubby cheeks, and shaggily cut hair. Toothiana felt herself smiling as she flipped to another sketch.

She recognized Jack Frost's cocky grin instantly, his arm was slung over a younger boy's shoulder, and he had a great smile, revealing a gap where one of his front teeth should have been.

"That's Jamie, Sophie's older brother." Bunny said, leaning over her shoulder as he pointed at the brown haired boy. "And that's Frost,"

"I remember him," Toothiana interrupted.

Bunny chuckled, "The ladies usually do." Tooth smacked his chest lightly with the back of her hand, which only seemed to make the situation all the funnier.

"Come on, Bunny, he's just a much younger than me-"

"You were probably younger than Pitch." Bunny muttered under his breath. For a moment, Toothiana thought about pretending to have not heard him, she did that with Pitch sometimes, it helped avoid arguments. It was probably the smarter thing to do…

"That was different." Toothiana said coolly as she picked up a painting. This one had a farm on it, with golden streams of grain waving in the wind. A cute little cottage was nestled in the hillside not too far from a big red barn. Several little dots were painted cluttered together, a family. This was his home.

There was a beat of silence. Toothiana cleared her throat before grabbing a small round thing covered with strings and feathers. She felt a small smile pull on her lips as she examined it, trying to figure out what it was.

"It's a dream catcher." Bunny said, tracing the strings that crisscrossed like a spider web.

"That seems like a funny thing to catch." Toothiana said, as their fingers brushed for a moment.

"It's supposed to protect you from nightmares." Bunny clarified, smiling down at her, "These strings are woven like a net," He traced the threads with his finger tip, "The bad dreams are too big to slip through the spaces, but good dreams are small enough to slip through."

Tooth raised an eyebrow, "It seems a little backwards that dreams are small? I always thought dreams were supposed to be incredibly big." She passed the dream catcher off into his hands.

Bunny turned the small object over in his big palms as he smirked at her. "Maybe…" He replied, setting the dream catcher down on the desk.

"What do you mean, 'maybe'?" Toothiana crossed her arms and looked up at him curiously.

"It's nothin'." Bunny smiled, shaking his head as he looked down.

"No, tell me." Toothiana insisted intently.

"Fine," Aster said, pausing before he continued, "I was just thinking that maybe…" He looked down at her with bright green eyes, as if he was reassuring himself that she wouldn't laugh.

Toothiana stopped smiling and looked at him seriously. "Maybe?"

"Well, all dreams start out small, don't they?" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he looked at her. "Then they grow into… I don't know… more?"

Toothiana's eyes widened as she looked at him, Aster seemed to be different when he talked about the dreams. Almost as though he were at peace…

Tooth nodded. "That makes sense…" She said softly as she glanced back down. There was a painting, much more abstract than the others. It was filled with swirls of greens, golds, and purples that seemed to flow in a blooming design. "This one's my favorite," She said, handing it to him.

"Mine too." He replied as he examined the piece.

"What's it called?" Tooth asked, looking up to meet his gaze. His strong jaw, his rough, grungy appearance… His eyes. Every time she saw him, she found herself looking into his eyes. _It's a little funny, actually… _

Bunny looked back at her, a far off look on his face. He seemed surprised she'd even asked. It might have been the first time someone had ever been interested in his art… It just may have been the first time anyone had ever been interested in how he felt.

Aster took a deep breath and then he said, "It's called 'Hope'."

Jack stepped inside the circular room. Sunlight seemed to be the only light source, so the corners of the room were shrouded in darkness. The wood creaked under his feet as he stepped around a desk covered with little bowls of paint and various books.

There was a large bed with pink blankets; little golden vines crawled up the sides of the headboard. Tiny flowers bloomed off into different directions, but when Jack leaned in closer, lightly tracing a petal with his finger, he saw that it wasn't a flower at all. It was an intricately painted sun.

"Huh-" He said, just as he heard a small creak from the rafters above his head. He whipped around, his heart beating quickly as he swung his staff up, almost like he was holding a rifle. "Hello?" He called, his blue eyes flickering from the pottery wheel next to the closed window to the guitar that rested against the –very colorfully painted- wall.

There were no more sounds, except for the quiet chirping of birds just outside the open skylight. _Maybe I just imagined it… _He wondered, lowering his staff. Jack ran his fingers through his hair; maybe this whole endeavor had been pointless-

"I-I know why you're here." A quiet voice stuttered. Jack looked up, scanning the ceiling intently, looking for any sign of someone hiding in the darkness.

A sign like the tip of a tiny foot peaking out from behind a wooden beam supporting the ceiling.

Jack opened his mouth to speak just as the voice quickly added, "and I'm not afraid of you!"

Jack slowly kneeled down, setting his staff on the ground gently. "That's great!" He called to the shadowy figure huddled up above him, "You don't need to be afraid of me, I promise.

There was a brief pause and the sound of quiet whispering. Jack strained to hear, but all he could make out was a hushed "I think we can trust him," then "he put down the stick."

There was a beat of silence.

"O-" She paused, "open your mouth." He caught a flash of a face leaning out from behind the wooden pillar, light skin, golden hair, big green eyes that looked at him curiously before darting back into hiding.

"Wait, what?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows. He must have heard her wrong because there was no way she just told him to-

"Go on," She said, her voice feigning confidence as she appraised him, "or I will use this." She lifted something up that reflected the sunlight coming in from the window straight into Jack's eyes.

He squinted and lifted up his hand to shade his face, "Hey!" He complained. Jack sighed when the light didn't move from his eyes, "alright, alright." He finally rose up his hands in surrender before he opened his mouth wide. The glaring light disappeared and he heard more hushed whispering.

_Shhhhfffffftttt _then there was the sound of bare feet tapping against the wooden floor. He could see a darkened figure standing just outside the line of sunlight. Jack heard her take a deep breath, and then, she stepped out into the light.

Her golden hair caught the rays of the sun and shimmered in the light. Her eyebrows where drawn together over a pair of wide green eyes that sized him up, looking straight into him. Or at least that's what it seemed like. She had pink cheeks and rosebud lips that were –at the moment- slightly parted.

She was beautiful.

Jack thought he heard a muffled voice say something, but he wasn't sure. The girl lifted the object in her hand up and held it like someone would hold a bat. It snapped him out of his revere.

"Who are you, and how did you find me?" The girl said, stepping forward. She had no shoes on, which Jack thought was kind of cute. She was almost like a little kid.

Jack blinked before saying, "My name," He paused and smirked and stuck his hands in his pocket before answering, "is Jack Frost."

A small green lizard of sorts crawled out of the girl's long blonde hair and studied Jack thoroughly.

Jack paused then asked, "Were you the girl I saw last night?" The girl's mouth dropped in surprise for a moment before she quickly regained her composure, standing up straight and pretending to not have heard him.

"You didn't answer my question, _Jack Frost." _The girl said darkly, obviously trying to be intimidating. Jack fought the urge to laugh at the dark expression on her face. It seemed so out of place on a person who seemed like they'd normally always be happy.

"I went up the stairs." Jack replied, "That's all." His blue eyes widened with sincerity, "I promise that I'm not here to hurt you."

The girl's eyebrows relaxed as she looked down at the green amphibian perched on her shoulder. The creature shrugged, but pointed at Jack menacingly with his tail, as if to say, 'I'm watching you'.

"Now how about you tell me your name, or would you rather I just called you Blondie?" Jack smirked as he saw her shoulders relax; there was even a faint smile on her face.

"It's Rapunzel," she answered, tucking her frying pan underneath one arm. Jack took a moment to step closer, Rapunzel instantly jumped back and whipped out her frying pan, nearly clobbering Jack on the side of his head with it's rather sharp edge.

"Aigh! Easy there." Jack shouted as he leaped away. As soon as Jack regainsed his balance he opened his arms wide, trying to look as harmless as possible. "I need you to trust me, alright?"

Rapunzel held his gaze intensely for a moment before she finally sighed and set down her frying pan. "I'm sorry about… you know, almost hitting you in the face."

"I think I'll learn to forgive you…" Jack teased as he walked up to the blonde girl. They were face to face now. The sunlight caught her hair and seemed to make her light green eyes glow. "So tell me Punzie," Jack said mischievously as he leaned in closer, "was it you I saw yesterday?"

**A/N: I really didn't want to get this out late, so I didn't have time to review it before posting, ahahaha *****dies*****. But anyways, as always, tell me if I'm out of character! This is my first time writing Punz or Hiccup and I'd really appreciate the advice. :) **

**Please REVIEW and I love you all! Criticism is welcome :) **


	5. Friendship

Chapter Five:

"I can't believe I'm letting you do this." Toothiana said as she straightened her back against the chair.

"Come on, sheila. Just relax, " Bunny replied as he balanced his sketch pad on his knee. Tooth sighed and let her shoulders loosen up. She tilted her chin just barely to the side, catching the light on the side of her face. "Don't move!" Bunny said suddenly, holding out a hand to still her.

Tooth froze, and then took a deep breath. This should be nothing. She had people watching her perform all the time -doing very dangerous feats- but somehow, just sitting in a chair, letting Aster sketch her was causing a small drop of sweat to trail down her back, even though she'd taken off her coat.

Her hands were placed neatly on her lap as she stared straight at a little chip in the paint on the opposing wall. She heard the faint scratches of charcoal on parchment as the minutes ticked by, followed by the gentle hush of Bunnymund's breath as he concentrated; scanning her body with his green eyes, sliding over every curve in her figure, every curl that had slipped out of her up-do, and the soft smile that seemed to always be present when she was with him.

Just as her shoulders began to stiffen up, she heard Bunny clear his throat and set down the pencil. "Er- thanks, Toothy." Aster said, quickly closing his sketchpad and setting it down on his bed.

"Hey!" Tooth jumped up and reached across him, not noticing the flush that instantly stained his cheeks as she did so, and grabbed the leather-bound book. "At least let me see it, Aster!"

"Oi!" Bunnymund shouted, snapping out of his stupor and snatching the sketchbook from her grasp just as quickly as she had swiped it from the bed. "That's private." He said quietly giving her a teasing look.

Tooth raised an eyebrow at him and held out her hand palm-up, as if she was a teacher and he were a student refusing to hand over a secret note. "Come on, at least let me see the drawing of _me_."

Bunnymund sighed, and then opened up the notebook, flipping through the pages, giving Tooth a few suspicious glances, just in case she tried to peak at the other pages. Finally, he handed the book to her.

Tooth's smile widened as soon as she saw the thin black strokes that curled across the page, spreading like little spindly branches. "This…" Tooth sighed as she looked up at him with bright mauve eyes. "This is _beautiful._"

Aster rubbed the back of his head nervously as Tooth gently grazed the line that formed her back with her finger. She looked up at him with a soft, sincere smile. "_You're _amazing."

Bunny's cheeks flushed as he quickly cleared his throat before quickly plucking the sketchbook from her hands and pushing it under his pillow.

Tooth tried to hide her smile. She'd figured out his secret: no matter how much he wanted to be a big tough guy, he was really just a big _softie. _

_Awwwww. _Tooth thought as she put a hand over her heart. Bunny's eyes flitted over to her before he quickly stood up, gently pulling her up with him.

Tooth met his gaze, raising an eyebrow at him. _What is it? _She inwardly asked. Bunny's mouth barely opened before he quickly clamped it shut.

Then, he quickly added, "You wanna go see Soph, sheila?"

Tooth's face instantly brightened at the mention of the small girl's name. The young woman began to bounce excitedly on the balls of her feet. "Of course!" she chirped excitedly as she laughed with glee. "I'd love to see her!"

Aster smiled before leading her out the door, neither of the pair noticing that Bunny hadn't let go of her hand.

TTT

Rapunzel sighed and crossed her arms before finally looking back up at Jack. "Yes, it was me." She glanced up at him almost shamefully.

"Hey, I'm not mad or anything." Jack assured as he stepped around her, looking at all the intricate paintings that covered the walls. "Did you do all this?" He asked, somewhat awestruck.

He'd seen Bunny's paintings before, but Rapunzel's were somehow… different. Almost like they had some sort of hidden meaning; as if it were puzzle that needed to be solved.

He heard her feet patter after him, when he turned to look at her he saw a shy smile on her face as she shrugged and replied. "Yes."

"You probably have a lot of free time then, huh?" Jack raised an eyebrow at Rapunzel as she suddenly grew quiet.

"You could say that." She muttered as she played with a strand of her golden hair.

Jack turned to walk towards the closed window when he felt something snag around his ankle. With a grunt he pitched forward. Jack tried to catch himself, but only managed to get his arms wound up in some strange, smooth… rope? No it couldn't be rope, but it wasn't a fabric either.

"What is this stuff?" Jack exclaimed as he attempted to wriggle out of his confines. This only seemed to tangle him up even more.

"Hold still, hold still!" Rapunzel shouted as she rushed to his side, kneeling down next to him and wrapping her fingers around the strange material that was looped around his arms and legs.

Jack yanked his arm to the left, trying to rip through the bonds.

"Ouch!" Rapunzel yelped as her head jerked in the direction of his arm.

"I didn't touch you!" Jack shouted as he suddenly stilled, maybe he actually might _have_ somehow hit her with his wild movements. Once he'd calmed down, Jack took a moment to actually _look _at what he'd caught himself up in.

"Is this… _hair?_" Jack asked as he saw the bright golden locks that interlaced his arms and tied his legs together. He saw Rapunzel wince as she continued to untwist the tangles and knots.

"No," Jack gaped, "No way! This cannot be your hair!"

Rapunzel laughed nervously as she continued to work out the knots. "It-" She sighed, "It is."

Jack's head fell back against the floor as he felt Rapunzel work. He wasn't trying to be rude, but he needed a minute to take it all in. He was literally trying to get out of someone's hair.

As his blue eyes scanned the room, he realized that Rapunzel's hair was draped along the floor and the walls, where it was held up above the ground by hooks. _I'm, an idiot. _He thought, how could he have missed something as obvious as 70 feet of hair covering the room.

"I'm really sorry about this." Rapunzel apologized as she accidentally tugged too tightly on a lock of hair, causing Jack's wrist to twist painfully.

"That's alright, Punz." Jack grunted in pain. "I've been in worse situations…" He thought of his days on the streets, his home life…

Jack shook his head quickly, banishing the thoughts from his mind. He didn't want to think about that now.

"You know, we could just cut it-" Jack suggested.

"No!" Rapunzel snapped, her green eyes widening as she leaped away from him. Jack thought he saw her reach for her frying pan when he shouted,

"Alright, alright, we won't cut it!" Jack quickly shouted, trying to calm the blonde girl down. He noted her quick breathing and partially out stretched arm. Now was not the time to make a stupid mistake.

"I'm sorry." Jack said softly, sitting up to look at her the best that he could. "I didn't mean to upset you…" Jack would have run his fingers through his hair if his arms weren't tied to his body. "Look," Jack said gently, "We won't even think about cutting your hair. I just need you to help me get untangled." Rapunzel paused, looking at Jack as if he were some sort of mythical creature she had never seen before.

Then, she slowly pattered back over and kneeled next to him, unwinding the thick curtain's of hair that he was twisted up in.

"I'm- I'm sorry about acting so strange," Rapunzel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's just…" She hesitated and quickly looked down.

"Just what?" Jack asked, wishing that he could put a comforting arm on her shoulder; she seemed pretty upset.

Rapunzel looked up to the ceiling as if she were pondering why on earth she was telling him this, if that _was _what she was thinking, Jack couldn't blame her, after all; they had just met.

Her gaze shifted to his and she sighed in defeat, pushing her hair out of her eyes she softly said, "You're the first person that I've met from outside my tower."

Jack's eyes widened and he felt as though all the air had been stolen from his lungs. He hadn't realized that his mouth had dropped open until he exclaimed, "_What?_"

TTT

"Pretty!" Sophie exclaimed as she grabbed onto the fringe of Toothiana's dress, the pink, beaded, fabric clutched in her tiny fists.

"Hello, little one!" Toothiana gushed, swooping the little girl up in her arms and spinning her around, her heart soaring with the joyful giggle the little girl let out.

"Hey there, ankle biter." Bunny smiled, rubbing the little girl's head.

"Bun-Bun!" She cheered, clapping her hands together excitedly.

"Bunny!" A new voice shouted. Toothiana turned around; Sophie still nestled comfortably on her hip. A boy-maybe nine years old- jumped up from his place on a bed, leaving an open book of the rumpled sheets as he ran to Aster.

"Lookit!" He hooked a finger in the corner of his cheek and pulled, revealing a row of perfectly white teeth, well, minus one. "I lost a tooth!" he exclaimed.

"Blimey, that's great Jamie!" Bunny clapped the boy on the shoulder, giving him a crooked grin.

Jamie laughed before turning to look at Tootiana and Sophie. "Look Soph!" He pulled back his cheek farther.

"Wow!" The little girl gasped, completely awestruck. Toothiana herself could hardly contain her excitement.

"You have amazingly, beautiful teeth!" She chirped, bouncing Sophie from side to side on her hip. Jamie laughed happily.

"Thanks!"

"Oi, Jamie." Bunny suddenly interrupted.

"Yeah?" The smaller boy asked, turning to face Aster with undivided attention.

"Where are North and Sandy? And the rest of the crew?" his brows furrowed. Tooth, suddenly realizing that the ship had become far quieter than when she'd first arrived, turned to Jamie, eager to know where everyone had gone.

"They went to go help set up the circus grounds, North said he wanted to make a little money while we were here. He was going to ask you for help, but Ralph said not to bother because you brought a lady to your room." Jamie's brows furrowed like he was trying to place to puzzle pieces together that just didn't fit. "What did he mean by that?"

Tooth felt her cheeks flush red and she heard Bunny mumble, "Oh crikey…"

She quickly cleared her throat and gave Sophie a kiss on the cheek before setting her down on the ground. When she turned to face Bunny she could see his face was red with embarrassment. She placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder and gave him a sweet smile.

"Don't worry about it, Aster." She assured. Glancing quickly at a clock on the wall, Tooth realized she should probably be leaving soon. She had –again- lost track of time. "I think I should be going."

"Alright, sheila." Bunny said, smiling at her. She could hear the masked disappointment in his voice: he'd wanted to spend more time with her, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't want to spend more time with him…

But after what Jamie had said, about being in Bunny's room, Tooth began to wonder if what she was doing was all right. She was a married woman, after all. She could always ask herself what Pitch would think if he knew, but she already knew the answer.

To put it plainly, he wouldn't be pleased.

Tooth began to walk towards the doorway, her brows still creased in thought. If there was nothing going on between them, then was it all right? Would it matter what other people thought of them if it wasn't the truth?

Toothiana truly loved spending time with Aster, as well as Sophie and Jamie, so was it fair for her to give up something she enjoyed just because of how someone might react? She couldn't imagine Pitch getting upset about the children, but she knew he'd be furious if he knew about Bunny…

_I'll just tell him about Bunny!_ Tooth inwardly exclaimed, abruptly stopping in the middle of the doorway. Pitch wouldn't have anything to worry about if she was honest with him, and if he didn't want her spending time with Bunny then… well she'd be convince him to let her, somehow…

"Would you like to come over for breakfast, tomorrow?" Tooth asked, suddenly turning around and placing a hand on the doorframe.

Bunny looked slightly caught off guard. His eyes widened slightly and he had been in the middle of picking up Sophie, whom had just demanded 'up!'. "If that's alright with you, Toothy."

Tooth nodded, smiling brightly. She quickly grabbed a pen and a scrap of paper out of her purse and scribbled down her address. "Be there by ten." She pressed the paper into Bunny's hand before turning to go. She quickly waved over her shoulder and darted down the hall, and up the stairs, out into the sunlight.

TTT

Rapunzel finished removing the last of her hair from Jack's body and helped the lanky boy to his feet, brushing off her dress as she waited for him to respond. She had just told him an awful lot. Well, it was only partially the truth, but it was still quite a bit to take in.

"So, you're mother owns this restaurant?" Jack asked as he crossed the room, picking up his staff and letting it fall against his shoulder.

"Yeah." Rapunzel followed him, bunching up part of her dress in her fist.

"And she's never let you outside because your father left you and she doesn't want you to be hurt…" He began to pace around the room, looking at the objects on her desk and paging through one of her books.

Rapunzel just nodded. Her father was a touchy subject, and her mother always seemed to get very upset whenever he was mentioned.

Jack gave her a strange look, as if he didn't believe her. "It's the truth!" Rapunzel exclaimed, exasperatedly stamping her foot.

The white-haired boy simply smirked at her and placed a soothing hand on her shoulder. "It's not _you _that I don't believe… it's…" He shook his head and let his hand fall from her shoulder.

Rapunzel felt her heart clench. He seemed so sad, and yet very confused. "Jack?" She asked, trying to turn her head to meet his gaze.

When he finally faced her, he opened his mouth as though he were about to say something. Then, there was the sound of footsteps coming up the stairwell. "Hide!" Rapunzel shouted, pushing Jack towards a large wardrobe on the other side of the room.

"Ouch! Hey! Careful, Punz!" Jack griped as she forced him into the wardrobe.

"Shhh!" Rapunzel put a finger to her lips and whispered, "If my mother sees you… just don't let her see you, alright?" Jack paused and looked as though he might actually say 'no'. Actually, the more she looked at him, the more he seemed to look cold and angry. However, Jack huffed and nodded before crossing his legs, allowing the closet doors to shut.

"Thank you." Rapunzel whispered closing the door, just as Mother Gothel burst inside, announcing that she had a wonderful surprise.

TTT

Toothiana pushed open the door to the Theatre, which was full of bustling activity; performers were scurrying left and right, carrying large crates of what appeared to be fish. _Why on earth would they be doing that? _Toothiana wondered as she walked to the stairwell leading to upper seating: That was where Pitch would always watch the acts rehearse, it always gave him a good vantage point and helped him spot inconspicuous errors in the performances.

As soon as she reached the top, she saw her husband. He was wearing his black suit, but his usually neatly combed back hair was looking a little… frazzled.

Toothiana hid a smile as she crept up behind him. She really had missed seeing him over the past few days.

Slipping her arms around his waist, she pulled him closer to her, breathing in his musky scent. "Guess who?" She whispered against his back.

She felt him chuckle as he turned around to face her, slinking his arms around her waist. "The light of my life," he whispered, turning down to kiss her. Tooth rose up onto her tiptoes, placing her hands on his shoulders for better leverage.

He held onto her tightly, as if he were trying find a way to be even closer to her. He had missed her too. Tooth smiled against his lips and deepened the kiss, gently tugging at the hair at the nape of his neck.

When they finally broke apart, Tooth pulled him into a hug, it was soothing to feel his frame against hers. "How is the Night Fury?" She asked, looking up into his amber eyes.

Pitch smirked, "Well, it seems the young dragon trainer knew how to handle him. By this rate the show should go on as planned."

"That's wonderful, darling!" Tooth bounced on her feet happily, winning an amused chuckle from Pitch. Then, he suddenly grew quiet. Tooth stilled ad slipped her small hand into his.

"What is it?" She asked, lifting her other hand to his face.

"You do know that every time I leave you, there is as big a hole in my heart as there is in yours, don't you?" He looked sadly down at her. Tooth gave him a gentle, reassuring smile.

"Yes, I know."

He smiled, "You always do, don't you?" He tucked a strand of hair that had slipped out of her up-do behind her ear.

"Only when it comes to you." She whispered, giving him a quick peck. He sighed and pulled her to him again, Toothiana closed her eyes, content to be wrapped in his warmth.

He sighed, "you can not fathom how I've missed you, Toothiana."

Tooth buried her head in his chest, and opened her mouth to mention Bunny. Pitch was in a relatively good mood; there would be no better moment to mention it then now.

"Sir?" She heard Pitch sigh again, resting his forehead against hers for a moment, then he straightened. He seemed so tired…

"What is it?" He asked, regarding the worker with his usual cool composure.

"The boy says the Night Fury won't allow anyone but him to ride it…"

Tooth saw Pitch's fist clench, but he remained calm, taking a deep breath before saying through gritted teeth, "I'll be down in a moment."

The guard nodded and disappeared down the stairwell. Pitch rubbed his eyes before he sighed once more. Toothiana felt a wave of sorrow for her husband. He really did need more rest-

"I think you should go home now, Toothiana." He gave her a gentle look, but his tone was commanding. "I'll be home soon, I assure you."

Tooth looked at him pleadingly, knowing that he wouldn't be home soon at all. He winced as though her gaze had physically burned him.

"I'm truly sorry, love. I promise I'll be home as quickly-"

"No." Toothiana interrupted, stepping away from him. She quickly smoothed out her dress and forced a reassuring smile on her face, "I know you have to work, I'll just… go home and eat dinner." She caught his gaze, seeing the guilt he felt, she instantly felt the desire to comfort him.

"It's alright." She lied, quickly kissing him before she turned to leave, feeling even more alone than she had before.

TTT

Jack sat in the closet, waiting for Gothel to leave and for Rapunzel to let him out. At the moment, the two of them were sitting at a table together, enjoying Gothel's 'surprise', hazelnut soup.

Over their meal, Jack picked up little hints that Rapunzel dropped: hints about her birthday, which he'd guessed was the next day.

It didn't make any sense, Gothel was Rapunzel's _mother, _shouldn't she know what day her child's birthday is?

"I was wondering if we could see the lights…" Rapunzel said casually. Jack couldn't see anything, but he could hear the longing in her voice. He felt the sudden urge to take her to see the 'lights'. He'd never seen them, or even heard of them before, but by the sound of Rapunzel's voice… They must be amazing.

"Oh," He heard Gothel say from behind the door, "you mean the _stars._" He hated the way she said it, like she was speaking to a child.

He heard Rapunzel explain how she'd charted stars, and these lights were definitely not stars; he was actually impressed by her vast knowledge, she'd seen less of the world than he had, and yet she still seemed to know more about it than anyone he'd ever known.

"Rapunzel, we're done talking about it." He heard Gothel say through gritted teeth. Jack clenched his grip around his staff tightly.

"Oh, come on!" Rapunzel pleaded.

"Rapunzel, you are not leaving this tower, ever!" He heard Gothel shout. Rapunzel suddenly became quiet and Gothel muttered something about being the bad guy, but Jack didn't care about that, he was worried about Rapunzel, whom he hadn't heard speak again.

There were a few hushed words between the two and then the sound of a door closing. There was a brief silence, and then the light pattering of bare feet on the floor.

The door opened and there was a defeated looking Rapunzel, one arm draped across her middle and her eyes focused on the ground.

"She's gone, now." She said softly as Jack hopped to the ground, looking at her sympathetically. "If you leave now she won't be able to spot you…" Jack nodded and turned to leave, and then he suddenly stopped and turned around, letting his staff rest on his shoulder.

"What's your mother doing tomorrow?" He asked, the gears in his head turning as he formulated an idea.

"I guess she'll be working…"

"Late?"

"Yes, but-"

Jack quickly closed the space between them, giving Rapunzel a grin he asked, "What if I take you to see the lights?"

Rapunzel paused, as if she needed a moment to process the information, then she turned to Pascal, who nodded eagerly.

"Would you really do that?" She asked quietly, stepping closer to him.

"Sure, It'll be fun, Punz." Jack leaned down on his staff. Rapunzle hesitated, looking towards the door.

"What about my mother? She'll be-"

"She won't even know your gone, we'll be as quick as a bunny." Jack replied, making a skittering motion with his fingers.

Rapunzel giggled and looked back at Pascal, who seemed to smile and nodded again. It was clear she was conflicted, both wanting to see the lights and stay loyal to her mother, but…

"Alright." She finally sighed, a smile growing on her face. "I'll go with you." Jack tried to ignore how light on his feet he felt, he honestly believed that he could fly if he wanted to.

Jack simply smirked at her, "I'll be here at eight," He said, giving Rapunzel's hand a quick squeeze.

She gave him a nervous smile, "Alright."

He slowly slid his hand from hers and slipped towards the door. When he turned look back at her he saw her give him a half wave.

Jack raised his hand in return and disappeared down the stairwell.

**A/N: Hi guys, so I tried putting dashes as page breaks in the last chapter, but they didn't show up! ARG FanFiction, why are you doing this to me?! Anyways: thank you for reading, I really appreciate the support. **

**Now, some people had some questions, so I'll be answering them right now. **

**Q: How old is Toothiana?**

**A: Toothiana is in her mid- twenties; she was about nineteen or twenty when she married Pitch (yes I know, that is very young) **

**Q: Could you put in Vanellope and Ralph?**

**A: I will try to give them a cameo of sorts, haha :) I actually mentioned Ralph in this chapter, but it was so brief I'm not sure it even counts ^_^; **

**Please Review! It means a lot to me and helps motivate me to write :) **


	6. Too Close For Comfort

Chapter Six:

Tooth finished pinning up her hair and stood up from her vanity, smoothing out her skirt. The light blue fabric was decorated with shimmery beads that caught the sunlight, sending little flecks of light to dance on the walls.

After slipping on her shoes she pattered down the hallway and made her way down the stairs, Bunny and the others would be arriving soon and she wanted to be downstairs to greet them.

When she reached the Head Footman she suddenly stopped and turned to face him. She lifted a finger, as the idea seemed to grow in her mind. "Take the day off."

The footman blinked before leaning his ear closer to her, "I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't believe I heard you correctly."

Toothiana just gave him a bright smile, "You, and the rest of the crew can take the rest of the day off."

The footman's mouth opened and closed like a fish as his eyes boggled, completely in shock over what had just transpired. "I'm so sorry my lady, but I don't think Lord Pitch would-"

Toothiana held up a hand, "Leave Pitch to me," she gave him and assuring smile, "now go tell the rest of the staff to enjoy their day off."

The head footman hesitated before he finally sighed, "Very well, my lady." He straightened his uniform and walked past her, down the hallway towards the entrance to the worker's quarters.

When she looked at the clock she saw that Aster, and the kids should be arriving soon.

Toothiana quickly walked into the dining room to make sure everything was ready. There were enough plates and silverware, but she'd dismissed the footmen before they could finish putting the flowers in vases.

She smiled softly as she trimmed the flowers to the appropriate length and placed them in their glass containers. She then straightened them until they reflected the light on the walls and danced like tiny little rainbows.

She sighed, Toothiana honestly missed doing work, it made her feel good when she felt like she was leading people, making a difference no matter how small.

She often felt that way when she directed her fairies in the theatre, after all, she had trained Fye ever since she was small, and she showed a great deal of promise.

However, the amount of time that she actually spent at the theatre was scarce. She had memorized all the routines and only needed to refresh on them every once a week or so. It hadn't been like that in the beginning, though. It had taken long hours when she was working with Pitch, and even back when she still performed for Mr. Greene.

How strange that she should be longing for the days where she had to work for taxing hours… she was practically sitting in the lap of luxury, and yet…

Toothiana sighed and rubbed her forehead. Sometimes she found herself wondering if this was what she really wanted…

She jumped at the sound of someone knocking at the door.

Toothiana hurried to her feet, making sure to straighten her dress and assure that her hair was not mussed. She didn't really know why she cared so much about how she looked, it couldn't be for Aster, and she was married after all…

_And we're just friends!_ She reminded herself stubbornly as she opened the door smiling widely to reveal…

Aster. _Just _Aster, no Sophie or Jamie… "Where are the kids?" Toothiana asked, looking around to see if the little ones were hiding behind his legs, but there was no one. She did her best to hide her disappointment as she looked back up at Aster, who was smiling at her apologetically.

He had actually dressed up pretty nicely, wearing a button up white shirt and black pants with suspenders. It didn't seem like he had a dress jacket though… oddly enough, Tooth preferred him without it; the relaxed look of it suited him just as much as bright colors suited her.

"Sorry, sheila. " He rubbed the back of his head nervously as he smiled sheepishly at her, "the little ankle-biters caught a cold, and they didn't want to get you sick."

"Oh." Tooth said, genuinely worried for the children she'd gotten so quickly attached to. "Are they alright?" She asked, looking up at him earnestly.

"Yeah, it's just a little bug, they'll get over it real quick." He chuckled.

Tooth bit down on her cheek, holding back the remark that had hopped into her mind as she leaned against the doorway.

"What is it?" he asked, his soft green eyes lighting up with amusement as Toothiana held back a laugh.

"Quick as a _bunny_?" She asked before she giggled. It was a stupid joke, but she'd still thought it was hilarious.

"Oh… I bet you think you're real funny, don't you?" He flicked her nose lightly. She giggled again, surprised that he'd been so forward, she'd only known Aster for a few days, and yet she felt so incredibly comfortable with him.

It was nice.

"So…" Bunny scuffed the toe of his dirt covered boot against the pavement on her doorstep and then looked up at her, "I s'pose I'll just be leaving then." He turned to go just as Toothiana crossed her arms and called out to him.

"Well, I thought we were going to have breakfast…"

Aster turned around and raised an eyebrow at her, "You still want to eat with just me and your husband around?" Bunny shook his head, "sorry, sheila, but the guy and I don't really get along that well-"

Toothiana shifted uncomfortably before she finally lifted her mauve eyes to his. "Pitch isn't here." She said softly, twirling one of the beads on her dress as she bit the inside of her cheek. Maybe she should've told Bunny that from the start, but at the time it hadn't seemed like a big deal, and yet the more she thought about it, the more it would've made sense to tell him Pitch wouldn't be home.

He probably felt so uncomfortable. God, she was such an idiot!

She heard Bunny's footsteps climb up the stairs, and when she looked up he was standing right above her.

It was only then that she realized how _tall _he was, and he had much broader shoulders too, not at all like Pith's slender muscle…

When she met his eyes they were flashing with anger, she almost wanted to shrink back for a moment; she'd never seen Bunny look even remotely angry before. "Does he leave you alone like this all the time?" He asked, a sharp edge in his usually gentle voice.

Toothiana shrugged, not wanting to make her husband sound like a bad person, he truly was kind to her, it was just that whenever he got a new act he would get a little wrapped up in it… as soon as the act was over everything would be back to normal.

_That is until the next act… _she caught herself thinking bitterly, _stop that! _She inwardly chided, _Pitch does a lot to take care of you, the least you can do is be a little grateful. _

"It's not often." Tooth lied, crossing her arms. The look in Aster's eyes told her that he saw right through her façade. His eyes softened and he stepped past her and into her home before pausing to turn back to her.

He placed his large hands on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes, "Whenever he leaves you alone, I want you to call me, alright sheila?" he said firmly. "I don't want you to have to spend all that time in this house by yourself. He looked up at the high ceilings and expensive furniture.

"I'm not usually here alone," Tooth said, quickly brushing at her eye. She was not crying… it had just been a long time since someone had cared about how she felt… how she _really _felt was all. "We usually have footmen, but…" She laughed lightly looking at the eerily empty hallways, "I sent them away today because I thought the kids would have more fun baking themselves."

Bunny chuckled, his eyes shining in their usual happy manor. "They would've liked that, sheila."

Tooth felt herself smiling, a faint blush tinting her cheeks. Bunny cleared his throat, "so… you said that we're baking?"

Tooth clapped her hands together, nodding and smiling brightly. "Yes!" She chirped, "Follow me." She waved him over to follow her.

Tooth led him down the large hallway, and past the staircase to a small door hidden inconspicuously by a large vase. She tried to ignore the eyebrows Bunny raised at the expensive paintings that adorned the walls.

She pushed open the door and they walked down a tiny stairwell that led to the kitchens. Toothiana had been down there once before when she and Pitch had been throwing a party in order to celebrate their first successful show together.

She had barely opened the kitchen door before Pitch had swept her aside, telling her that she no longer needed to do such mundane things herself. It had been a way to show her that he cared, and while Tooth appreciated it, she couldn't help but sometimes feel that the staff was underappreciated.

The kitchen was well lit and all the necessary appliances were already lain out and ready. Tooth felt herself slowly beginning to beam. It had been _years _since the last time she'd baked something.

She eagerly grabbed a cookbook from the shelf above the stove, flipping to a random page. "What would you like to eat, Aster?"

He hummed, sticking his hands in his pockets as he came up behind her. Peering over her shoulder, he turned the page, which had a picture of a powdered sugar covered crepe with a red strawberry on top.

"How 'bout that, sheila?" he asked, pointing at the picture.

Toothiana quickly scanned the recipe. It seemed easy enough; all they needed was flour, eggs, milk, water, salt, and butter, all things that they would have in the pantries.

"This doesn't seem hard…" She quickly looked over the directions. "Could you grab these things from the cupboards?" She asked, pointing to all of the ingredients. Bunny nodded and disappeared into the large pantry, while Tooth set up the necessary bowls and spoons.

He reemerged a moment later, his arms filled with the items. Tooth rushed forward, taking the eggs from him so that he wouldn't drop anything.

Once they had set everything down on the counter, Tooth looked at him brightly. "Are you ready?"

TTT

"My lord?" A voice called. Pitch turned around, looking somewhat agitated at the interruption. He'd finally gotten the dragon rider to teach his Night Fury pet how to do his routine.

The beast would soar across the stage, and then over the audience, close enough for the viewers to feel the heat, the rush soaring above them, but just far enough not to touch.

The dragon rider would then guide him back to the stage where he would fly through flaming rings of fire that would rise up from the trapdoors in the floor.

Finally the dragon and his rider would land and take the final bow with the rest of the performers.

They were still fine-tuning, however. If they tried to perform the show now it would be incredibly sloppy, and Pitch would be damned if he didn't have a performance that would leave his audience gawking and begging for more.

"What is it?" He asked, turning his head, almost disdainfully at his 'nightmare'. Pitch truly did hate being interrupted.

"He says he's your head footmen, he said something about your wife-"

Pitch crossed the room a second instantly sweeping the phone out of his worker's hand. "Hello?" he said quickly, pacing from side to side. "What is it? What's happened?" He paused for a moment, worried about the possible answers that he could receive. "Is Toothiana alright?"

"_Yes, my lord_-" the voice on the other end replied. The irritation once again flowed back into Pitch's body. He straightened his back, the cool venomous edge returning to his voice.

"Please tell me that there is an _acceptable _reason for interrupting-"

"_It's about the lady of the house-" _Pitch stilled.

"Tell me." He ordered, already making his way to the staircase, stretching the telephone cord all the way across the room.

"_She has dismissed all of the staff-" _

Pitch's heart began to thud quickly in his chest. _Why would she do that? _He wondered just as he ran out of space to walk with the cord, forcing him to stop halfway down the staircase. His mind easily went to the worst possibilities: she had been torn up about the loss of her ability to carry children, but he'd been hurt too. He had longed for children just as much as she had… she wouldn't think of _that _would she?

"_So I stayed behind, in order to make sure she was safe-" _

Pitch sighed; of course the head footman wouldn't have let anything happen to her. Relief swelled in his chest for a moment… until the footman finished his sentence.

"_She invited a man in-" _

"What?" Pitch snapped sharply. Toothiana wouldn't just invite someone she didn't know into the house, and why would she just dismiss the staff like that?

Unless…

No. Toothiana wouldn't do that. She wouldn't _cheat _on him; it wasn't something she'd do…

And yet…

"I'm on my way there now." He said quickly, letting the phone clatter to the staircase. He quickly swept down the stairs, making his way quickly towards the doorway.

He most definitely did not doubt Toothiana, he trusted her whole-heartedly. He was just going to check on her, and make sure that she was all right.

He pushed the door open and waved his driver down.

That was it.

TTT

"Asterasteraster!" Toothiana shrieked as Bunny whisked the eggs and flour a little too quickly as she poured in the milk, sending a splash of crepe batter all over the length of her arm.

Aster chuckled as he reached for a towel hanging on a rack above the counter. "Sorry, sheila." He said, smiling at her as he wiped away the mess.

"You are _not_." Tooth giggled as he tossed the towel down on the counter. Bunny smiled down at her.

Toothiana looked at the sack of flour resting on the counter. A mischievous smile crept onto her face. Bunny looked at her, the smile slipping off his face. "No, Toothy! Don't you-"

Toothiana leaped forward, sinking her fingers into the soft powder and whipping it around, spraying it all over the gruff man.

The fine, white powder got caught in his blue- gray hair and slid down the sides of his face, landing on his shirt. He looked at her, mouth agape as he tried to brush the flour off his shoulders.

"Ohhhh" He chuckled quietly, sinking his own fingers into the bag. "You…" He looked at her from under his eyebrows, "are going to regret doing that." A grin spread across his face as he smeared the flour across her face, earning a gasp and a loud bout of laughter from the small woman.

"Aster!" she shrieked, scampering away. A long tendril of hair slipped out from her up-do and brushed against her cheek, right next to the long white flour stain that ran across her cheekbone.

He chased after her, swinging an arm around her waist and lifting her up into the air, spinning her in a wide circle.

Toothiana curled her small arm around his in order to stay upright. She didn't notice the small smile that danced on his lips as he spun her… or the fact that the slight flush on his cheeks wasn't from the heat of the stove…

The door slammed open, causing Toothiana to immediately slam her feet onto the ground, skidding both her, and Bunny, to a stop.

Pitch was standing in the doorway, looking slightly out of breath. His amber eyes shifted from Bunny to Tooth for a moment, his brow pulling together in a frown.

Toothiana tucked the strand of hair behind her ear. "Darling-" She started, folding her hands together. For some reason she felt ashamed, even though she knew she'd done nothing wrong. There was nothing wrong with having breakfast with Aster, after all, they were just friends.

Pitch held up a hand, looking at her darkly and Tooth instantly snapped her mouth shut. She didn't catch the wary gaze Bunny gave her, his thick eyebrows pulling into a frown, or how he drew himself up to his full height, glaring at Pitch as he did so.

"You." Pitch said smoothly, pointing at Bunny with a gray finger. "Leave."

Bunny stepped forward, opening his mouth to speak, but Toothiana quickly stopped him with a gentle hand on his arm.

"Just go." She said softly. Bunny looked at her with gentle green eyes, as if asking _'are you sure?'_

Tooth just nodded, giving him a slight nudge forward. He looked at her hesitantly before turning back to Pitch and walking towards him, straightening his suspenders.

When they passed each other, there was a moment where their eyes met, clashing like knives. Then the moment passed and Aster disappeared through the doorway, leaving Toothiana and Pitch alone in the kitchen.

Pitch stalked over to her, his face cold and stony. Toothiana felt her heart beating as quick as a hummingbird's wings in her chest. He stood in front of her, forcing her to crane her neck to meet his gaze.

His usually warm eyes seemed to send an icy chill down her spine, raising goose bumps on her arms. There was a brief flash in Pitch's eyes, a faint glimmer of sadness… of betrayal.

Toothiana stepped closer to him, placing a hand on his chest. She searched for something that she could say to assure him that she was sorry, and that she loved him. She opened her mouth, still at a loss for words, but he instantly pins his lips against hers, backing her up against the counter.

She ignores the pain that shoots up her back for a moment when her back slams into the wood, and instead focuses on bringing him closer, curling her slender fingers around the soft fabric of his coat.

One of his hands slipped to her back, trailing up and down her hip. Pitch bit down gently on her lower lip, tracing the marks with his tongue. Then, he pulled away so that he could leave a trail of kisses down her neck, all the way to her pulse. He nibbled and kissed her there gently, leaving a bright red mark on her throat.

He pulled away, breathing heavily and let his head rest on her shoulder, taking a deep breath through the nose. Toothiana hooked her arms around his neck, holding him close to her, feeling his heartbeat through the fabric of his shirt.

"I'll be home for a while." He muttered huskily in her ear, already searching for the zipper on the back of her dress.

"Not here." Toothiana giggles, kissing his cheek gently, letting her eyelashes flutter against the soft skin.

"Seductress…" He breathed against her skin, picking her up easily in his arms.

"You flatter me," She smiled. If this was the way to make it up to Pitch for not telling her about spending time with Bunny that day, then she would be happy to oblige.

TTT

Bunny sat at the table across from North, shoveling the slices of cooked carrots into his mouth. "I'm tellin' ya North, Pitch is bad news."

"Ah, Bunny-" North started, running his fingers through his thick beard. "Pitch is rough 'round the edge, no?"

"No, no, no-" Bunny pointed his fork, rubbing his sideburns as he looked at North, "You didn't see it, mate." He shook his head, tossing his fork on the plate with a _clang. _"That guy…" He paused, "He's a slimeball-"

"Bunny," North said sternly, "Pitch is very old friend, and has been very good for business-"

"Not everything is about the bloody circus, North!" Bunny stood up abruptly, sending his chair clattering to the ground.

The Russian looked at him for a moment, then his eyes lit up with realization. "You are in love with Toothiana."

Bunny felt a strange churning in his stomach and his cheeks suddenly burned red. "What?" He shouted, "Have you gone crazy? Toothy and I are friends-"

North looked at him darkly.

"Bunny, you can not act on your… _feelings-" _

"I don't have _feelings _for her!" Bunny argued, refusing to meet North's eyes.

North spoke gravely, "Bunny, I will not argue with you, but I will tell you," He placed a hand on Bunny's shoulder, poking him in the chest. "Is not safe to take what Pitch sees as his."

Bunny scoffed, shrugging off North's hand, "I told you, mate. I don't have feelings for Toothy." He then walked towards the door, sticking his hands in his pockets as he walked down the small hallway before he turned into his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

He sat at his desk and grabbed a charcoal pencil, dragging his sketchpad towards him. He flipped sporadically through the pages, needing to get to a blank page.

He had to draw something.

He needed to _vent_.

The sketchbook flipped to the page with a petite young woman, sitting on a chair with a soft smile playing on her lips, the sun dancing off the beads of her dress.

_Toothiana. _

All the anger and frustration that had stuck to him like tar immediately washed away, and he gently set down the pencil.

He gently stroked the curve of the woman's chin before he could catch himself. He quickly slammed the sketchbook shut and pressed his hands against his forehead.

_Damn it, sheila. _He thought, sighing as his gaze found the dream catcher resting next to a pile of paintbrushes. _What have you done to me? _He quickly stood up and left his room, once more; making his way down the hallway, only this time he stopped at the room on the far left hand side.

He knocked quietly on the door, peering inside to see Sandy sitting at his desk with a book in his hands.

"Oi, Sandy." Bunny said raising his hand in greeting. The mute raised his hand and looked at him expectantly.

Bunny sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "I was just wonder'n if you could show me how to make a dream catcher again.

Sandy quickly nodded, pulling up a chair and patting on it welcomingly. Bunny smiled and walked inside.

So maybe he _liked _Toothiana, but there was no way he could be in love with her, that was impossible. They'd just met.

He sighed as he watched and copied Sandy's motions, forming another dream catcher.

Or maybe he was just crazy.

**A/N: I appreciate your support! Please review, it helps me update quickly! The next chapter may be shorter, but the ones after should be normal after that :) thanks, and please review!**


	7. Lights

Chapter Seven: Lights

Jack leaned against Hiccup's desk as he tried to look over his best friend's shoulder. "What're you doing, Hic?" he asked, catching the corner of the paper in his fingers.

"Hey!" The scrawny boy shouted, jumping up. "There is this thing called '_privacy_'- "

"_Dear Merida," _Jack read out, walking around the small length of the room, holding Hiccup at a distance with a firm hand on his friend's chest. He then paused and raised an eyebrow at Hiccup's flushed face. "Isn't Merida that princess we performed for a while back?"

"N-no!" Hiccup flustered, making a grab for the paper. Jack jumped out of the way and skipped down to the third paragraph of writing.

"_Toothless misses you, and it's pretty boring without you around_-" Jack gave Hiccup an accusing look, "Hic, did you fall in love with a princess?"

Hiccup turned a bright shade of red. "No! Merida and I are just very good friends who happen to write letters-"

"_I'm sorry that your mom is trying to make you get married. It's really unfair… " _Jack trailed off and looked back to Hiccup, who was trying to mask a pained look that twisted at his face. Jack let his arm fall and handed the paper back to Hiccup, who snatched it up quickly and tucked it in his pocket. "Look man…" Jack started, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I'm sorry about that."

"No, no it's fine." Hiccup said, sticking his hands in his pockets.

Jack sighed, "that's gotta be rough."

Hiccup shrugged into a nod and sighed before bitterly replying with a soft chuckle,"Yeah. It is."

TTT

Toothiana let her head rest on Pitch's bare chest, enjoying the feeling of his fingers running through her hair.

"How long do you have before the theatre needs you?" She asked, looking up to meet his eyes. He took a breath and pulled her closer to him.

"I think that they can keep the place from falling apart for a little while longer." He rubbed his thumb in circles on her arm, pausing for a moment. "I'm sorry that I haven't been home, love. It's been hectic trying to get the new act polished."

Toothiana sat up, brushing a dark stray hair back out of his face. "How is that going?" She asked. He smiled, showing a sliver of his white teeth.

"Much better, I think we may be able to have our first show next Friday-"

"Really?" Toothiana chirped happily, taking his hand. "That's wonderful!" His hand slipped to her waist as he sat up next to her. She gave him a sly smile. "We should celebrate."

Pitch sighed, "I actually wanted to talk to you about that."

Toothiana tilted her head to the side and slipped her fingers in his. "What do you mean?"

"North said something about having a party a few nightsbefore the show… to celebrate everyone's hard work."

Toothiana nodded. "That seems like a good idea." She said.

"That is what I told him." Pitch replied. "But I don't want it to seem as though we are flaunting our wealth-"

Tooth rolled her eyes and poked him in the chest playfully. "So… you want me to _buy _new clothes for _one _party so we don't flaunt our wealth?"

Pitch looked at her exasperatedly, "You know that's not what I meant."

Tooth giggled and took his hand, pressing a kiss to it. "I know, I know." She smiled slyly. "I was just playing with you."

He smirked at her and placed a hand on her cheek, pulling her lips to his. "Maybe _I _should take some time and play with _you._"

TTT

"One, two, three!" A chorus of men chanted as -all in perfect synchronization- they pulled on the thick ropes attached to the thick cloth of the circus tent. With a creak and a shutter, the bright red and yellow figure rose up and filled out, taking the shape of a large tent.

Aster grunted, gritting his teeth as he wound the rope around his hand, trying to gain a better grip as his boots slid through the dirt. Sweat ran down his dust stained face as he regained his balance, stepping back and pulling back on the rope hard, despite his burning muscles.

"Alright lads," A voice from the opposite side of the tent shouted, "Tie'em down."

Bunny fell to one knee, knotting his rope around the iron stake that had been hammered into the ground just before they had raised the main tent. When he finished, he gave the rope a quick tug, assuring that it would not come undone.

He sighed happily, getting to his feet despite the creaking in his knees. A broad hand clapped him on the back. "Oof!" Bunny grunted, stumbling forward as he hadn't yet caught his breath.

"Oh, sorry about that, Bunnymund." A familiar voice said, chuckling good-naturedly. Aster turned around, pushing back his short strands of blue-gray hair as his green eyes met the lumbering figure of Ralph. He was a large fellow with massive hands made for lifting. He wore bright orange overalls with a red shirt underneath. He gave Bunny a gap-toothed grin. "I didn't mean to knock you 'round to hard."

Aster nodded, the sudden thought of how much Tooth would've fawned over the little gap flashing in his mind before he quickly stifled it. "Ah it wasn't too bad, mate." Bunny righted himself as he walked across the field to help set up a much smaller tent. This one was meant for the workers and performers to sleep in so they wouldn't have to travel from the ship to the circus grounds everyday for performances.

That tent was nowhere near as difficult, as it's size and the weight of the tarp was nowhere near as extreme as that of the Big Top's.

He helped the others set up a few more, a tent for food, a tent for the animals, and a tent for all the props that the performers used.

After that, he moved in-between the ship and the circus grounds, helping transport the various animals to their cages in the animal tent. When he finally stopped and took a minute to rest, he walked towards the food tent, which had an ample supply of cool water already waiting.

He took a swig of it, enjoying the cool feeling of the water sliding down his throat. Aster then tossed the metal cup in the dirty dishes bin when a small figure ran straight into his knees.

"Bun-Bun!" A small voice cried out gleefully. Aster chuckled, reaching down and swinging Sophie up onto his shoulder despite its soreness from the day's work.

"Hey there, Soph." He said as she giggled, hanging onto his head for balance as they tromped through the tent outside, where the sun was nearly setting, causing the grounds to turn a bright golden-orange.

"Where's pretty lady?" She asked, turning her head from side to side, searching for something.

"Pretty lady?" Bunny asked as Sophie began to gently tug on his, rather large, ears.

"Mhmm." She hummed. "She wore pretty dresses and smiled like this." Bunny took a moment to glance up at Sophie, who had spread her lips in a bright smile.

Aster raised an eyebrow. "Soph…" He paused. "Are you talking about Toothiana?"

The small girl nodded excitedly, her shaggy blonde hair flopping against her forehead. "I like that lady." She smiled.

Bunny shifted his shoulders uncomfortably before he quickly changed the subject. "I thought you were sick, Soph."

The little girl giggled. "I am." She said. "I threw up." She said, proudly crossing her arms.

"Soph!" Bunny chided, lifting her off his shoulder and giving her a look of, 'why didn't you tell me, little sheila?'.

She just giggled and pressed her tiny hands to his cheeks, pushing up so that the skin around his eyes bulged out. "Alright, ya little ankle-biter." Aster said as he pushed back the flap of the tent, walking to the bed that Jamie and Sophie shared. "Off to bed with you."

He tucked her in, pulling the covers all the way up to her chin as her eyes already began to close. He sat by her side, patting her leg gently as he eased her to sleep. Suddenly, she softly asked, "How come I don't have a mommy?"

Aster felt his heart pang and he looked down at the small girl, whose green eyes peered at him with youthful innocence. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair as he tried to think of what to say, but how do you tell a little girl her parents are dead? How do you explain that to someone you love?

Just as he opened her mouth to speak, Sophie suddenly interrupted him. "I really like Miss Toothiana." Aster smiled at her.

"Me too, sheila."

Sophie's little eyebrows crinkled as she fisted the covers tightly in her pudgy little hands. "Do you think she'd be my mommy?"

Bunny felt his heart twist in pain. Sophie was too young for this. She didn't deserve it… to live a life where you can't become attached because, no matter how much one may deny it, you must always leave them behind. Onto the next act, the next town…

Never to see them again.

Aster cleared his throat before he stood up, once again pulling the blankets up to her chin. "Sleep tight, Soph." He said, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.

He heard her sigh as she rolled over. He turned down the light, low enough so that she could sleep, but high enough so that if she woke up the shadows wouldn't frighten her.

Bunny pushed back the tent flap and walked outside, pretending that the burning in his eyes was not because of tears. He didn't cry. He never cried. He was too tough for that.

He sighed, thoughts of Toothiana crashing against him. Her smile, her laugh… the way flour smeared on her cheeks. Aster ran his fingers through his hair. It was impossible to fall in love after a few days, wasn't it?

TTT

Jack stood with his feet planted just outside the back exit of Gothel's tower, his arm outstretched towards the blonde girl in front of him, whose hair had been piled into one thick braid that stopped at her ankles. Her green eyes were wide with anxiety and second thoughts as she stared at the invisible line between the wooden floors of the storage room and the dirty cobblestone street of the alleyway.

"Don't worry." He assured, holding out his hand as he smiled at her.

He watched her pause and turn back to the darkness of the room behind her… of the tower. When she looked back at him, she giggled nervously before slipping her hand into his. "I wont." She answered.

Jack smiled pulling her against his side, across the invisible line. "Come on." He took off down the street, Rapunzel following after him, laughing gleefully as the sun danced off her golden hair.

He led her through a few alleyways, cutting across little streets so that no one would see that they were leaving from the back door of Gothel's restaurant.

Jack slowed when they broke into one of the main streets, which looked as though it had been blocked off for some kind of festival, allowing the townspeople to mill through the streets freely with bags of… well, Jack didn't know. Clothes, maybe?

He turned and smirked at Rapunzel, whose eyes were wide as she looked from the little shops that lined the streets to the music performers that played their violins with more fervor that Jack had ever seen.

Just as he opened his mouth to suggest that they go to a shop or something, Rapunzel yanked him to the side, causing him to choke on his own words as she plowed through the crowd.

"Look at that!" She exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she pointed at something in a shop window. Jack leaned over her shoulder to see what it was that she was so excited about.

A little cupcake sat on a shiny silver tray, decorated with swirly pink frosting and golden sprinkles. Jack chuckled as Rapunzel pressed her nose against the glass.

"I've only seen frosting done like that in my cookbooks!" She gushed, squeezing his hand. "I always wanted to do it, but I'd never been able to figure it out." She looked at the small cake with wide eyes before she backed away from the window. She gently tugged on Jack's arm. "Alright, we can-"

"Wait here." Jack instructed, handing his staff over to Rapunzel who looked at it curiously for a moment before returning her gaze to Jack, opening her mouth to speak right as he pushed open the bakery's door.

Jack slipped his pale hand into his pocket, fingering the two bills he had, along with several coins.

It was his measly amount of money that he earned for performing as a tightrope artist at the circus. He'd asked North for his monthly wage two weeks ahead of time, and when Jack had explained why, North had given him a little extra.

It had been generous, but Jack had never intended on spending the money on himself.

He pointed at the cupcake in the window to the pastry chef, who held out a large hand expectantly. Jack coughed up a few coins and the man slipped him the cupcake.

The snowy-haired boy held it carefully in his hands as he pushed open the door with his free hand. As soon as he stepped outside, Rapunzel hurried towards him, holding his staff in her hands.

He offered the cupcake to her, watching as happily as her face broke out in a bright smile. "You didn't have to do that!" She exclaimed as Jack traded the cupcake for his staff.

Jack just shook his head, smiling as he said, "It was nothing."

Rapunzel smiled, looking up at him shyly.

"Go ahead." Jack said, gesturing towards the cupcake in her hand. Rapunzel paused and lifted the cake to her lips, hesitating and looking at him before she took a bite.

"Mmm," she hummed, closing her eyes as she tilted her head back before smiling and nodding at Jack. "It's good." She said before offering it to him.

"No, that's yours-" Jack tried before Rapunzel just pushed the sweet into his face.

"I _want _to share it." Rapunzel clarified lifting up the cupcake up to him. Jack leaned in, a small smile playing his lips as sunk his teeth into the soft cake, enjoying the sweet taste of the frosting of his tongue.

He wiped a bit of frosting off his lip, smirking. "Thank you." He said.

Rapunzel looked up at him hopefully, "It's good?"

Jack chuckled before lifting the sweet up to her lips. "Yeah."

Rapunzel giggled shyly before taking another bite. Jack felt his cheeks flush as she took the cake from him. He smiled slightly when he saw her cheeks turn pink. Jack stepped around her, watching as she turned and walked with him down the street, looking in windows and talking about the strange little items that gazed back at them.

Rapunzel curled her fingers around his sleeve as she dragged him across the road to the street performers, who played their fiddles with a bright excitement that pulsed through the streets. Her hand rested on his wrist, light touches of her fingertips grazing over his pulse, raising little goose bumps across his spine.

He watched her eyes glow with excitement as watched the musicians, a small smile playing on her lips as she slipped her arm into the crook of his elbow. Jack felt a warm flutter in his chest as he let her lean against him.

Suddenly, a thought popped into his mind. Jack swung Rapunzel around so that she faced him. He placed a hand on her waist before pulling her into a twirl, watching as her hair swung around her ankles.

The sound of her bright tinkling laugh brought a smile to his face as he quickly lifted her into a spin, loving the feeling of her hands on his shoulders.

He set her down, still leading her through the jumbled steps of a dance he'd made up as he went.

Neither Jack nor Rapunzel noticed the townsfolk around them begin to join in, a swirl of skirts and colors that bled together. Laughter spilled through the air as hearts beat in time with the drums.

Rapunzel through her head back and laughed as Jack slipped his hands into hers, abandoning the clumsy steps for spinning in wide circles.

Jack chuckled and cheered as Rapunzel shrieked with happiness, falling against his chest as the music slowed to a stop.

"That was wonderful." She gasped, her cheeks flushed as Jack took up her hand in his. Then she turned and looked around, "Where is everyone going?" She asked when she realized the people where all congregating somewhere down the streets by the waterfront.

Jack simply smiled mischievously, pulling her out of the crowd and into a small alley that led closer to the shops near the shipping ports; this pathway, though smaller, was quicker and led directly to a small little store right above the ocean.

Jack walked around the side of the small building, a dress shop, and let down a long black ladder that led up to the roof, although the original intent for the staircase was as a fire escape.

Jack gave Rapunzel his hand, helping her up as she stepped onto the ladder and climbed up the building, stepping out onto the roof.

His heart pounding, Jack intertwined his fingers with hers. He looked away when he felt her turn towards him, trying to hide the red that quickly stained his cheeks. "So…" he said, suddenly feeling very nervous. Jack cleared his throat, gently guiding her to the edge of the building where he sat; letting his feet dangle of the edge.

He felt her sink beside him, her hip brushing against his as they stared out at the sea. The light had turned a sweet gold as the sun sank below the skyline. Jack spared a glance at the young woman next to him as the sky slowly darkened and the city's lights dimmed as the stars began to glow above them.

Rapunzel's hand tightened around his as her eyes flitted across the sky.

"Are you nervous?" Jack asked, bumping into her teasingly.

Rapunzel laughed lightly, brushing a strand of hair that had fallen from her braid out of her face. "No," She paused before looking at him guiltily. Rapunzel sighed, "Yes."

Jack leaned forward intently, wanting to hear what else she had to say.

"It's just…" She shook her head. "I've lived in that tower my _whole life_, not knowing anyone until now." She smiled at him and Jack felt as though he could fly right into the sky. Rapunzel looked back up towards the sky, "and it's been my only dream to see the lights." She hesitated, biting her lower lip gently. "What if they're not everything that I hoped they would be?"

Jack smiled playfully, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. "It will be more."

He watched her eyes widen as her face snapped up at his words, an almost sad smile on her face. "What will I do then?" She shrugged, "I'll have lost my dream."

Jack smirked and –despite the thundering in his chest and the queasiness in is stomach- placed a hand on her cheek. "You'll just find a new one."

Rapunzel's face lit up as she leaned into his touch. Jack's throat constricted as they leaned in, his palms sweating profusely as their faces came closer together.

Then, he saw a glimmer of light at the shore opposing the city. "Look." He whispered, nudging her gently.

He watched as her mouth dropped and she leapt to her feet, her braid gently whacking him in the face. He chuckled as she scurried down the length of the roof, watching the little glowing lights grow closer.

A gentle breeze lifted the glowing objects closer, crossing the water between the not-so-distant shores. Jack stood up, trying to get a better view. It looked like the lights were actually… lanterns.

He turned and saw Rapunzel standing on her tiptoes, reaching up to touch on of the lanterns with a slender finger, but it was just barely out of reach.

Jack crossed over to her, his feet quiet as he reached her, easily reaching up and pulling down the lantern so it glowed between them, a small sun embellished on the side.

Her gaze met his, and her brows furrowed, as though she were suddenly seeing him in a different light.

She reached forward, covering is hands with hers on either side of the lantern, not noticing the hundreds of others floating around their little place on the roof. She smiled softly before guiding his arms up towards the sky and releasing the lantern, watching it float away into the sea of lights.

Her hands didn't leave his as she stepped closer, until they were chest to chest. She looked up at him and Jack felt like he was going to pass out… or throw up… in fact, it would probably be both.

Rapunzel looked just as nervous and uncertain as he felt as she rose up on her toes, leaning forward. Jack slowly began to let his eyes close, feeling her hear beat crazily against his.

They were going to kiss. It was going to happen-

He felt her smooth lips on his cool cheek, pressing gently against him as her eyelashes fluttered softly.

She pulled away, her cheeks burning intensely as she looked at her feet. "Th- Thank you." She said shyly as she laughed nervously.

Jack looked down at her dumbly, not even realizing he had a wide grin on his face.

"Trust me, Punzie." He replied, " I should be the one thanking you."

TTT

Toothiana sat on the chair in her home's library, a book sitting absently on her lap as she gazed out the window at the lanterns that glowed, floating lightly through the air.

She sighed, a heavy feeling of sadness weighing on her chest. She shouldn't feel sad. Not after Pitch had come home and spent the morning with her. Despite her inward chidings, she still felt a sharp pang of sadness.

Pitch used to watch the lights with her, even if it was just from the comfort of their home.

She stood, setting the book down on the counter next to the chair as she walked to the window.

Toothiana pressed her fingers to the cool glass, seeing her reflection gazing back mixed in with the glowing softness of the lights beyond.

She was surprised at the way she looked: tired… and sad. No. She had no reason to be sad, she had everything she could ever want, and she'd finally had some time with Pitch.

She couldn't blame him for not coming back; he just had so many things to do with rehearsals and the new act. It wasn't his fault that he'd forgotten.

She should have reminded him anyways…

Toothiana tugged uncomfortably at the scarf around her neck. It covered up the red mark Pitch had given her. It hadn't been the first time Pitch had given her love bites, in fact, they used to be very common during the early days of their marriage, but this was the first time it had made her feel… uncomfortable.

Toothiana shrugged the feeling off as she turned away from the window.

_It's nothing. _She quickly reminded herself. _You're being silly. _

Yet she couldn't shake the heavy feeling that weighed down on her like a thick fog.

She shook her head before pressing her hands on either side of her temple. _It's nothing_. She tried again, _isn't it? _

Tears burned her eyes and she quickly bit down on her lip. _It's_ _nothing_.

**A/N: Sorry about the late update! Please review! What do you like, what don't you like, what do you think will happen, what do you **_**hope **_**will happen? I know this chapter was a little cheesy, but honestly, sometimes I think life needs a little cheesy, fluffy, sweetness, haha. **

**To answer the question about Tooth's age, yes, she's about twenty-one or twenty-two. **

**I really hope you enjoyed! Thank you for reading!**


	8. Meeting Toothless

Chapter Eight: Meet Toothless

Toothiana made her way through the circus grounds, quickly stepping out of the way of a man holding a large metal hoop on his shoulder. _I wonder what that's for…_ Tooth thought curiously as she followed the hoop with her gaze for her a moment before turning back.

It was not so different here than the theatre. There were people rushing all over, animals in large cages, woman in beautiful gemmed outfits with long feathers sprouting from their bodices. A large man with a painted face winked at her lewdly. Toothiana quickly turned her face down and walked past him, slipping into the crowd as quickly as she could.

She was amazed at how many children were there. She thought she caught sight of Jamie running by, chasing after a thin brown haired girl. A group of boys ran past, a red haired boy in green pulling a young girl by the hand as they chattered about pirates and Indians.

Toothiana tried to hide her smile as they darted past her. _Funny. _She thought, _I used to never be able to be around children because of…_ She paused and placed a hand on her lower abdomen, a lump forming in her throat. She quickly swallowed it down, forcing a bright smile when she saw a familiar white haired boy.

"Jack!" Toothiana called, reaching out to his arm gently. She caught him by the sleeve of his blue coat and pulled him back.

"Oh, hey there, Tooth." Jack said, stepping next to her and pulling something behind his back. His blue eyes widened like a deer in the headlights.

Toothiana raised an eyebrow at him. "What is it?" She asked, crossing her arms as she tried to peer around his shoulder. Jack sidestepped and turned just enough to block her view. She gave him a 'seriously?' look and he just smirked at her.

"Nothing." He grinned impishly.

Toothiana felt a smile tug at her lips. "You can show me. I won't make fun of you."

Jack hesitated, scanning her face carefully before he sighed in defeat and pulled out a bouquet of bright flowers. They had clearly been handpicked and lacked the sort of crisp cleanness that store bought flowers had, but they looked soft, and Toothiana could smell their gentle, sweet, scent.

A grin spread across her face as the realization dawned on her. "Who's the girl?" She popped out a hip, nudging him gently.

Jack quickly looked down. "Haha," He laughed, being careful to not let her see his eyes. "No one." He looked at her from the corner of his eye, but Toothiana caught the soft pink that tinted his usually pale cheeks.

Toothiana gave him a knowing smile. "If you say so." She teased before adding, "Have you seen Bunnymund?"

"Sure." Jack said, nudging his shoulder towards a large silver and purple striped tent not too far away from them, "The animal tent."

Tooth gave him a genuine smile and placed a grateful hand on his arm. "Thank you." She said.

Toothiana turned to walk away when she heard Jack call her back quietly. "Toothiana." She turned, sweeping a stray strand of hair back into her up do.

"Yes?"

He gave her a soft look of concern. "Just…" He shrugged, "just be careful, alright?"

Toothiana's brow furrowed. "Alright, Jack." She said nervously as she turned away slowly and made her way towards the tent.

_That was… strange. _She thought as she opened the flap and stepped inside. She was immediately met with the scent of animal and hay as she blinked her eyes quickly in an attempt to adjust to the change in lighting.

Outside the light was harsh and bright, while inside it was soft and warm. She heard soft snorts from somewhere behind a curtain that was draped across the center of the room, which was right next to a makeshift bed where a limp brown sack leaned against the rickety wooden legs. A faded blanket was thrown across the thin mattress.

Toothiana peered around the corner. A sketchpad was tossed on the bed next to a half formed… _thing_.

Toothiana walked closer. It didn't look so different from a dream catcher. It was only a half formed crescent with a few leather stings hanging down the side, decorated with beads and a golden flower tied at the end of each.

She reached out to touch it with a gentle finger when-

"Toothy?" A familiarly gruff voice said from her side.

Tooth jumped in surprise, her hand flying over her heart as a shot of adrenaline pulsed through her veins. She was met with the broad figure of Aster, whose sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He grinned at her as she let out a laugh of relief. "You scared me!" She chided, crossing the floor so that she stood right in front of him. Aster chuckled lightly, looking down at her with a playful smirk.

She smacked his arm. "Don't make fun of me!" She laughed as the smile on his face only grew.

"I didn't say anything, sheila!" He argued, catching her hand in his.

"You did, too!" She countered, a glowing smile dancing on her lips as she poked him in the chest, despite her hand being enclosed in his wide fingers. He raised an eyebrow at her. "You said it with your _face._"

He chuckled, not noticing how he gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

Toothiana felt a warmth bloom in her chest as her cheeks slowly began to heat. Without meaning to, she began to slowly lift onto the tips of her toes. For a moment, Aster seemed surprised, but soon his eyelids began to shut as his free hand slowly drifted to her hip.

It seemed so easy.

It seemed so right.

If Toothiana didn't know any better, she would have thought that was what she wanted.

_No. _She thought, her breath hitching in her throat as she quickly stepped away, her heart pounding in her chest as her cheeks flushed. What was happening to her? She didn't have feelings for Aster… it must have all been an accident! Maybe she was getting sick or-

She felt Aster gently squeeze her hand. Her violet eyes flitted up to his green ones as he looked at her softly. With longing? No, that couldn't be right.

Could it?

Then, his face seemed to slam shut, growing cold and distant for a moment before he retracted his hand and plastered a fake smile on his face. "aheh." He laughed nervously, scratching the side of his chin. "Sorry about that, sheila. All the heat must've gone to my head for a minute."

Toothiana dumbly nodded, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her face. _Of course, _she thought, _the heat. _

Yet, she seemed to know deep inside that it had never been the sun… though she would never admit to that.

It wouldn't have been right. She was married, and completely in love with her husband. She owed Pitch everything. Her freedom, a life where she could make her own choices…

"Come on, I want to show you something." He quickly added, using as light a tone as he could.

"Oh, alright." Toothiana said, laughing nervously as she gently tugged on the beaded cloth of her dress. Aster waved her over, past the curtain and into the next room.

Tooth picked up the hem of her dress and hurried after him, her shoulder brushing against his arm as she walked along with him, looking at the large cages that circled the room. Bits of hay were scattered about the circular tent and stuck out between the bars.

When she took a minute to actually peer into the cage, she was amazed at what she saw: brightly colored birds with feathers that shimmered in the low light, a large white horse that pawed at the floor of his cage, even a mother elephant with a large eared baby that stood close to her side. Tooth giggled as the baby animal blew his trunk out at her, sending out a shrill squeal.

Then, there was a low growl. Toothiana whipped around and saw a large golden-brown lion prowling across the length of his cage, snarling and keeping his brown eyes trained on her.

Tooth gasped and stepped back. Bunny reached out and placed a comforting arm on her shoulder. She looked up at him and saw him gazing at the creature with a relaxed grin. "Don't worry, sheila." He squeezed her arm, "I've got you."

Tooth felt a fluttering in her chest as she quickly nodded, turning back the creature. It was strange. Just a moment before she'd looked at the animal with fear, but now…

The lion gave out a low rumble, little flecks of amber shimmered in his eyes as he turned away. His large paws thumped against the hay-covered wood as he stretched out across the ground, looking almost peaceful in the golden light.

Toothiana felt herself step forward, reaching out with slender fingers towards the cage. She thought back to all the horrible stories of people being ripped apart by the great beasts, but now that she was standing just in front of one… she believed that, perhaps, they weren't as vicious as they'd first seemed.

A large, calloused hand caught her arm in his. She stopped and frowned up at Bunny curiously. "Why-" She began, but was cut off.

"Just because he looks gentle, doesn't mean he can't hurt you, sheila." His eyes were sharp, warning her to stay away. Tooth looked back at the lion, which was in mid-yawn, revealing a set of sharpened teeth.

She felt her mouth open. The teeth were nice, sharpened and white: made to rip and tear into flesh.

Tooth stepped back. "So… this is what you wanted me to see?" She glanced back at the lion, whose tail twitched from side to side.

Aster chuckled, "Oh no." He said, shaking his head slowly from side to side. "I have something better in mind." He gave her a mischievous wink, causing her to grin brightly.

He led her across the room to a high roofed cage that appeared to be empty. Toothiana searched through the cold metal bars, even the floor was clear of straw… strange. She felt Bunny leave her side and heard a quiet shuffling at the other end of the room.

She stepped closer and curled her fingers around the chilly iron, giving it a gentle tug. There was a low creak, but the bars didn't budge. "Hmm." She hummed, thoughtfully crossing her arms.

There was a clatter and the sudden stink of fish. Toothiana nearly choked on the smell and her hand instantly flew to her nose. "Aster!" She scolded, whipping around to see Bunny crouching down over a tipped barrel of fish. "What are you doing?" She laughed walking towards him and crouching down next to him, careful to tuck the dress under her knees so it didn't drag in the dirt.

"Just makin' things a little easier, Tooth." He replied, giving her a Toothy grin as he pulled out a silver fish from deep within the barrel. He rose from his knees, using the hand not clutching the fish by its tail to brush the dirt off his knees. Tooth watched the slimy looking fish flop around from side to side as Bunny straightened. For a moment, Tooth was certain she'd be seeing her breakfast much sooner than she wanted to.

Aster walked over, the strong stench of fish growing stronger with each step he took. "Oh my." Tooth laughed, plugging her nose quickly. "That smells _awful_."

Aster chuckled and held the fish out to her, smirking at her quickly widening eyes. "Take the fish, sheila."

Toothiana's mouth dropped. "No! Aster, it smells awful and it looks…" She shook her head with disgust as she giggled. "_Slimy._"

Bunny laughed and stepped closer, the silver fish slapping against his wrist. "Come on now, it's not so bad once you get used to it."

Tooth quickly shook her head from side to side, but still reached out her hand, curling her slender fingers around the slick tail. The scales were cool and slimy, leaving a strange clear liquid on her fingers as she shifted her feet, looking at Bunny pleadingly. "This is so gross!" She laughed nervously, holding the dead animal as far away from her body as she could.

"Trust me, sheila." Bunny said, walking towards the empty cage. "It'll be worth it." He pulled a key out of his back pocket and slipped it into the lock on the gate, twisting it to the side with a _clank. _

Tooth's heart rate slowly began to increase. She'd thought the cage had been empty…

She began to sweat and suddenly felt the desire to loosen her scarf, but she couldn't do that… not with the mark Pitch had left her with. "Aster…" She began to say, stepping forward just as a large black figure began to crawl along the bars of the cage, stepping to the cold iron base and slipping out the open gate as quiet as a fog.

It was huge and completely covered in shimmery black scales. It's clawed feet stepped onto the dirt and straw covered ground, as light and graceful as a cat prowling across the grass.

In fact, the more Tooth thought about it, the more she realized this animal reminded her of a feline. Its wide green eyes scanned her appraisingly, as though it were trying to distinguish whether or not she was a threat.

Then Aster reached out to it. Tooth opened her mouth to shout; the animal had claws that could rip him apart! What if-

The creature's ears furled out, allowing the gruff man to slip his fingers against his neck and scratch against his scales, which the animal seemed to immensely enjoy, his mouth hanging open slightly and his tale lazily swiping from side to side.

When Aster looked back up at her, Tooth quickly snapped her mouth shut, not realizing it had even dropped in the first place. He smirked when her cheeks flushed as her eyes darted between him and the great cat-like creature that seemed to be shockingly gentle. "Come're, Toothy." He said, waving her over coaxingly.

Tooth's mauve eyes shifted to the large black mass next to him which seemed to be eyeing her in a strange way, it was unsettling; like she was a piece of meet to be eaten.

Yet, when she looked back at Aster, she saw his eyes: kind and gentle, just how they'd always been with her. He'd never failed her before.

Tooth took a deep breath and stepped forward, her grip on the fish tightening as she approached the beast, whose slit pupils never once left her form.

She quickened her last two steps so that she gently bumped into Bunny's side. Tooth felt a wave of comfort as soon as he placed a hand on her arm. "Don't worry, this little gobber won't hurt you." He retracted his hand from the animal's neck and stuck it in the pocket of his tan pants.

"Alright, Toothy. This…" He nodded towards creature whose eyes were now wide with almost childlike curiosity. "Is Toothless."

Tooth turned to him and raised and eyebrow. He raised his hands in a 'don't blame me' manner. "I didn't pick the name, sheila." Tooth just smiled and rolled her eyes. "Now just go ahead and feed him that." He poked the fish in her hands. Tooth felt a shiver of disgust as it squished under her fingers.

She then looked to Bunny nervously. "Do I just… hand it to him?"

He nodded, "Just hold it out."

Tooth took a deep breath and shook her head. This had not been how she'd expected her day to go. She looked back to Aster and sighed before she tentatively reached out.

The animal tilted his head, watching the fish curiously before he furrowed his eyes on Tooth, as though he were trying to determine whether or not the strange woman in front of his could be trusted. Tooth slowly began to nod, careful to make sure her eyes never left his.

A moment passed between them; a strange sort of understanding.

Then, it stepped up to her, opening it's wide mouth and stretching out closer, revealing a perfect…

Gum line.

Toothiana huffed in disappointment. A massive being like this didn't even have teeth… she'd expected fangs, or at least a regular _tooth_, but-

With a quick _shick_, several pearly white, sharpened fangs slipped out from some hidden space in the mouth and snapped up the fish quicker than Toothiana could blink. Jumping back her hands flew to her heart, watching the pleased animal lick his lips, looking at her happily before crawling closer, sniffing around her dress, looking for any other fish she may have. When he realized she had none, he looked up at her with widening eyes and perked his ears up.

Toothaiana's heart swelled. "Oh! You are so adorable!" She giggled, falling to her knees and wrapping her arm around his neck, using the other hand to scratch behind his ear, just like she'd seen Aster do. This earned a purr of pleasure and a gentle nuzzle to the cheek.

She heard a low chuckle from behind her; she turned her neck so that she could see Aster, kneeling behind her, scratching the side of his face as he watched the two. "And what are you laughing at?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's nothin', sheila." Aster replied, shaking his head from side to side slowly before he burst out into laughter once more. Toothiana huffed turning back to her new friend and cupped his face in her hands.

"Aster is making fun of me." She complained, gently stroking the black scales on the animal's forehead.

"Oh come on-"

"Now, I think that's just plain rude, don't you…?" She paused, what was the animal's name?

"Toothless." Bunny supplied smugly.

"Oh _Toothless_!" Toothiana gushed, scratching underneath Toothless' jaw. "What a wonderful name, though I am very happy that you have teeth. Now tell me Toothless, what kind of great creature doesn't have a beautiful mouthful of teeth, hmm?"

She heard footsteps behind her and then felt the fabric of Aster's pants brushing against her leg as he crouched beside her. "You know that's the dragon they're planning to use in your performance. " He said, reaching around Toothless's neck and scratching him right behind the ear, causing the muscles underneath the dragon's scales.

"Really?" Toothiana asked, flashing him a toothy smile.

Aster nodded as Toothless leaned into his touch. Tooth shook her head slowly from side to side, looking at him with soft awe. "It's amazing." She said, catching his attention. He gave her a questioning look, opening his mouth to ask what she meant. Tooth quickly clarified; "the way you are with him," she smiled at Toothless who was purring contentedly. "I've never seen anything like it."

Aster just shook his head. "No. I didn't do anything, sheila. It was mostly Hiccup who trained him."

Tooth just shook her head. She believed what he'd said about Hiccup, but she doubted that Aster had done nothing. He was just being modest. She blushed. it was kind of cute. _Stop that! _She quickly snapped at herself as she stood up quickly. _A little too quickly. _

"Tooth?" He asked, rising after her. The small woman quickly brushed the dirt off her dress. She shouldn't feel this way. She couldn't. It wasn't fair to Pitch. She couldn't betray him like that. But she didn't really feel that way. She loved Pitch. She _loved _him. She really did.

Aster seemed to read her like a book, somehow understanding exactly how she felt. Tooth could see it in his widening eyes, and in a sudden flash, she could see exactly how he felt. It ripped through her like a knife, tearing straight into her chest.

What was the worst part? That she had feelings for him? That he returned them? It was so, so wrong.

She took a deep shaky breath, her mauve eyes locked with his green ones. It was a strange conversation, the one their eyes shared. It sent shivers down her spine and warmed her heart, but all at the same time it sent a sharp pain up her body that she was sure would split her apart.

She quickly looked down, staring straight at her feet as she walks away as quickly as she can.

She couldn't deny what she felt, yes, maybe she had a slight… _crush_ on Aster, but it would be nothing, she'd just ignore it. It would disappear.

It just had to.

A warm hand closed around her wrist and stopped her, pulling her around to face him. Tooth gasped in surprise as she bumped into his chest. _Nonononono. _She thought, _I can't do this, it's wrong._ Aster raised a rough, calloused hand to her cheek and gently pulled it up to face him. His eyes were soft and thoughtful, searching through her, looking for an answer.

"Tooth?" She squeezed her eyes shut and reached up, covering his large hand with her small one. He gulped and took a shallow breath. "D'you… do you feel?"

Toothiana felt a burning sensation in her chest that slashed straight through her heart. Oh god, what was she doing? Tears stung her eyes as she easily slipped her hand out of Bunny's. It wasn't fair. Not to anyone…

Why did she want this? Why did she want him?

She felt an urge to throw her arms around him, to hold him close, to never let go.

Toothiana backed away, brushing at a stray hair that had never been there. "No." She lied softly.

She felt his eyes on her, seeing straight through her deceit. He'd always been able to do that; ever since the moment he'd first seen her. Why?

When Tooth began to turn she felt his arms curl around her, pulling her against his back. She could feel his heartbeat through his shirt, fluttering just as quickly as hers. She wanted so badly to relax into him. To curl her arms around his…

Then she thought of Pitch. She could see his face: twisted with sick betrayal and hurt. His golden eyes would show no tears, she knew, but she'd be able to see the pain reflected in them. A pain she caused. It would destroy him. She couldn't do that, not to someone she loved, but what if she loved Bunny, too? Was that possible after just a few days?

Was it possible to have more than one love?

She could hear Pitch, his voice would've been level, but cold and as sharp as a knife, splitting her heart like the trunk of an old tree being broken down in a heavy storm.

Tears slipped down her cheeks. She'd break the trust that had taken so long to build. She was one of his only friends and definitely the only person which he could share everything.

Which was why took a shivery breath, calming herself and wiping all emotion from her face. She gently pushed Aster's arms away from her and treaded away from him, making sure to not look back, despite how painful it was to feel his skin slip away from hers.

It only lasted a second, but it felt like eons.

A thick lump formed in her throat as she pushed through the thick flaps on the tent and into the lowlight.

She didn't look back, but she knew Bunny would be there waiting. Maybe even wishing she'd turn around and jump into his arms.

She hopelessly wondered if he knew how badly she wanted to.

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry, I feel like this update was super late, but I've been busy with the final track meets, impending tests, and my Tumblr, which has lots of Jackunzel, Mericup, Cavity and SweetTooth writing. If you like this story, go check it out! The blog is called Me and My Many Misadventures. **

**Now, thank you to everyone who reviewed, it really does inspire me to write :).**

**So tell me, what did you like, what didn't you like? Improvements? Requests? I'll do my best to include them, but I can't promise anything ;). Want a character cameo? Just put it in a review or PM me!**

**Again, thank you for every thing and please remember to review, I love hearing from you. The good, bad, and everything inbetween.**


	9. Come With Me

Chapter Nine:

"Just _try _it." Fye insisted, holding out the short purple dress insistently with the other hand placed on her hip. It was decorated with white beads that danced across the fabric in a soft of looping design, along with beaded strings that hung down the dress in layers, letting the light reflect off of them like stars.

Toothiana simply shook her head, looking back to a plain black dress that hung on a hanger. It was long and elegant, but it lacked any flashy colors or beads. "I don't think Pitch would like it." She removed the gown from the hanger and crossed the room to a full-length mirror, turning from side to side as she examined the black dress. It was a little long, but with heals… it would probably be all right.

Fye huffed and stepped in front of the mirror, holding out the dress again. "I thought you invited me shopping with you because you needed my help." Her mismatched eyes blinked stubbornly at Toothiana stubbornly as she pursed her lips. "Well, I'm helping." She offered the dress once more.

Toothiana sighed. It really was a pretty dress… Tooth walked towards a dressing room as Fye flittered after her, the dress still held in her arms. "It's just…" She gave one look at Fye, whose eyes were widening pleadingly as she scrunched up the fabric with her little fingers.

Tooth glanced at the dress again. It wasn't that she didn't like it. She truly did! It was just that Pitch wouldn't like the length… It was a shorter than most of the dresses she wore.

"Just try it." Fye said one last time, pushing the dress into Toothiana's arms. The fabric was smooth and slid easily over her fingers. Tooth looked up to see Fye pouting at her pleadingly. Tooth rolled her eyes and sighed, draping the dress over her arm.

"I'll try it on, but there are no promises." She said, pointing at Fye, whose lips had spread into a bright grin.

"Trust me," She gushed, taking Toothiana's hand and leading her to the dressing room, "you'll love it."

Tooth just smiled and pushed aside the curtain, stepping into the small room and hanging the dress on the hanger attached to the wall before closing the curtain. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror: usual long dress and pinned up wavy brown hair.

It reminded her of Aster's picture.

Just the thought of him made her chest ache. How long had it been since they'd last spoken? About a week or so? And now she'd be seeing him tomorrow night at the celebration for finally being ready for their performance with Toothless. She didn't want to think about what it would be like when they saw each other again, especially after their almost kiss.

Would he even want to talk to her? As strange as it sounded, the thought of never being around Aster ever again felt unbearable. She'd opened up to him in ways she

hadn't opened up to Pitch.

What kind of wife was she?

She clutched the front of her dress as she leaned to the side, using her hand to steady her. She'd made her decision… she would have to stay with Pitch; she'd made that decision back when she chose to marry him. She stared at her reflection. She was disgusted with herself. Loving two people at once… and one of them she'd only just met! Toothiana had always despised the women who cheated on their husbands, or led people on simply because they could. _Now look at me. _She thought wryly as she removed the dress from its hanger. _I'm one of them. _

It hurt. It hurt so badly, not only the fact that she felt like an awful person, but also the fact that she was hurting other people as well. What gave her the right?

She slipped off her own dress and pulled the other over her head, smoothing out the skirt before checking her reflection. Tooth almost gasped at what she saw. The dress truly did fit her perfectly. The straps hung from her shoulders, leaving a smooth curving neckline that dipped just above her breasts. The fabric rolled of her hips and stopped right above the knee. Toothiana gave the dress a twirl, smiling despite her self when the skirt furled out around her.

"How is it?" Fye asked, her foot tapping excitedly. Tooth sighed; she knew what the sprite-like girl would do as soon as she walked through the door. She pushed back the curtain, mentally preparing herself for the-

"Oh my goodness, Toothiana you look beautiful!" Fye exclaimed rushing forward and pulling her into the store and in front of the three-way mirror. Tooth's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she quickly tried to step down, but Fye pushed her back up. "Turn to the side." Tooth obeyed, craning her neck to see the back of the dress. The beads still danced across the fabric, but the collar of the dress dipped in a 'V' between her shoulder blades. It was different, and Toothiana liked that. When she finally stepped down she gave Fye a defeated look.

"Alright, it's a lovely dress."

Fye bounced up and down, happily clapping her hands together in victory.

"But!" Tooth interrupted, causing Fye to still. "it's pretty flashy, don't you think?" She spun, looking in the mirror as she did so. "The whole reason I even went shopping was to find a dress that didn't look expensive so that we wouldn't cause a scene."

Fye raised an eyebrow, "Mr. Black doesn't want to cause a scene?" She giggled, "That's funny, I've always thought he liked being the center of attention." Tooth gave her a chiding glance. Fye crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue, and then she turned back to the racks of clothes. "So why does he want to blend in?"

Tooth returned to the changing room, slipping off the purple dress and putting on the black one. It looked nice enough. It was simple and didn't draw too much attention, plus it was a color that Pitch would like.

She stepped out and let her arms fall to her sides. "What do you think?" Fye glanced at the dress and shrugged.

"It's fine."

Tooth frowned and looked in the mirror. It wasn't a _bad _dress; it slimmed down her usually wide hips. "What's wrong with it?"

Fye pulled out a light blue dress, about the same length as the one Tooth had tried on before. A few gold threads shimmered here and there forming a line down the front of the dress. "It's just dresses more like these," She lifted up the dress. "are more popular with people who aren't rich." Toothiana raised a doubtful eyebrow. "They like the shorter length, it makes it easier to move around and dance." She playfully bumped Tooth's hip. "Do many of your rich friends wear short dresses?"

Tooth thought about it, and the more she did, the more it seemed to make sense. Even though she didn't have many- more like any- friends in the same social circle as she and Pitch, whenever they went to dinners in order to secure a deal or went out to one of the nicer restaurants, all the women wore longer dresses.

Tooth laughed lightly, "You really think the purple dress will be better?" Fye nodded eagerly. Tooth sighed and shook her head, "alright, but if I'm the only one wearing a short dress at this party, I'm going to blame you."

TTT

Jack tucked a strand of hair behind Rapunzel's ear. The pair were sitting on the windowsill, painting little blue snowflakes on the windowpane, well, _Rapunzel _was painting Jack was sitting next to her, telling her all about life in the circus.

"And Hiccup has a dragon-"Jack said, smiling when he saw Rapunzel's eyes widen in awe.

"He has a real dragon?" she gasped, setting down her paintbrush and resting her chin in her hands. Jack chuckled.

"Yeah, his name is Toothless. You two would actually probably get along really well" Jack explained, watching as her soft lips formed a dreamy smile.

"Can he fly?" She asked, looking at him intently.

Jack raised an eyebrow at her. "Punz, he's a _dragon._" Rapunzel rolled her eyes and playfully shoved him, causing him to laugh and wrap his arms around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug. She settled comfortably in his arms, getting Jack to grin happily. He loved holding her, even if they weren't exactly sure what 'they' were yet. Yes, Rapunzel had kissed him on the cheek after he'd taken her to see the lights, but she hadn't done it again. In fact, the most they did of any romantic nature was to hold hands and occasionally cuddle. Jack shifted his body into a more comfortable position. Despite the warmth that filled his chest whenever her was near Rapunzel, there was a niggling pain in his chest. It had started ever since he'd read Merida's letter to Hiccup.

He sighed; turning to look out the window before remembering it was closed. Rapunzel could never open her window unless it was dark out and she turned off all the lights. Jack clenched his fists. He wanted her to go outside. He wanted her to stop living with her not-so-kind mother. A flare of anger shot up inside of him whenever he thought of Gothel… that woman… she drove him insane. Every time she climbed into the tower, Jack would hide in Rapunzel's dresser and listen to every word that vicious toad would say. Half the time he'd have to force himself not to burst through the wooden doors and teach the old bat what it felt like to get swung at with his staff.

That was another strange thing… Gothel did not seem old enough to have an eighteen-year-old daughter… she looked as though she were in her mid twenties. It gave Jack an eerie feeling, not so different from the feeling Pitch Black gave him…

Rapunzel's hair brushed against his cheek as she softly hummed a soft tune, occasionally singing a few verses with her honey-sweet voice."_Look at the world, so close and I'm halfway to it. Look at it all, so big, do I even dare?" _ Jack felt himself smile softly as he gave her a soft hug. Even then, there was a subtle ache in his heart that tugged and pulled at his chest. He didn't want to let her go, ever. He didn't want to leave her when the circus moved on, and he knew she didn't want to stay.

Jack leaned close to her ear, taking a slow, nervous breath before finally whispering, "Run away with me."

Rapunzel scooted away immediately, turning to look at him with widening green eyes. Her lips parted as she fumbled for something to say as she slowly shook her head from side-to-side. "Jack, I-I can't leave-"

"_Yes, _you can." Jack argued as Rapunzel slowly stood, running her fingers through her hair as she paced across the room. Jack jumped up and followed her, gently grabbing her by the shoulders and spinning her around. He could see the conflict in her eyes, flashing like lightning in a storm. It had always been so easy to read her, to know just what she was thinking. She wanted to go, to be with him, he knew. But she also felt an unyielding loyalty to her mother. Why? That woman was so…

Jack grabbed is staff, which he'd set up against the wall and gripped it tightly, ignoring the warm pain that bloomed in his palm. He'd never felt so frustrated over anything in his entire life. It would have been so much easier if he didn't care, it would hurt so much less.

But he did care, and it _hurt_.

"My mother…" Rapunzel said, her words slowly fading off as she looked at him. She seemed so sad, and it just killed him.

"She doesn't really care about you!" Jack snapped, instantly biting down on his tongue when he saw Rapunzel's brows pull into a glare, the hurt evident on her face.

"Y-you don't know that!" She exclaimed, her voice cracking slightly as she turned away, covering her mouth with her hand.

Jack felt a sharp pang of regret, he hadn't meant to make her cry, he'd never mean to do that- "Punz, I-I'm sorry." He said softly, his arms falling to his sides as he stared at her back. She sniffled softly and turned to face him, her eyes were red, and he could tell that she had cried, but she looked absolutely _furious_.

Jack immediately wanted to shrink back, but the anger on her face quickly dissipated, leaving her lower lip trembling as she walked back to the window seat, sitting down and staring at her hands, which were folded neatly in her lap.

Jack felt a weight on his chest as he quietly padded over to her and sat down. The space between them was small, but to Jack it felt huge, like a rift that couldn't be crossed. He nearly felt his eyes water up. He opened his mouth to apologize again, but Rapunzel spoke first. "It's alright." She said softly, twiddling her thumbs as she took a shaky breath.

"No, it's not." Jack intervened, grabbing her hand and holding it up to his chest. His own heart fluttered when he saw Rapunzel's cheeks flush pink at the action. He met her gaze, "I shouldn't have yelled at you," he paused, preparing himself for another possible argument, "but I still don't think Gothel is who you think she is." Rapunzel swallowed.

"I-" Her eyes welled up with tears and she quickly tried to brush them away, "I think you're right." She bit her lower lip. "I'd been thinking it ever since we went to see the lights, and…" She closed her eyes for a moment before she continued, "I just didn't want to believe it."

Jack slowly wrapped his arms around her, not saying a word. Rapunzel returned his embrace, curving her arms around his shoulders and burrowing her face in his neck. They took a moment to just hold each other. It felt nice…

Then Rapunzel gasped and Jack pulled away, looking around the room quickly. "What is it? What's wrong?" He asked, quickly looking her over to see if she'd somehow been hurt.

"You're bleeding!" She answered, taking his hand and flipped it palm-up. There was a sliver of wood sticking out from the skin, with little ribbons of blood spilling over his hand. Rapunzel examined it quickly before hopping up and hurrying across the room, rifling through one of her drawers.

"Don't worry about it, Rapunzel." Jack said, standing up and poking up at the sliver with his finger, wincing slightly at the surprising sting. Rapunzel ignored him as she pulled a small silver object out of the drawer and returned to his side, gently taking his arm and pulling him back down onto the window seat.

"Sit still." She said, adjusting her grip on the… tweezers. Jack's heart lurched and he immediately tried to squirm away, but Rapunzel was surprisingly strong and managed to hold him in place.

The sharp points poked into the skin of his fingers, causing Jack to wince in pain. Rapunzel looked up at him and giggled softly, "It's not that bad, Jack."

"Well you're not the one getting stabbed in the hand." He teased as Rapunzel pulled out the sliver, tossing is into the waist basket. She paused for a moment, holding his hand in hers as the blood dripped onto the floor, biting her lip gently. "Um Punz, do you have any bandages or…"

Rapunzel looked up at him seriously, her brows slightly furrowed. "If I do something, will you promise not to tell anyone… _ever_?" Jack gave her a quizzical look before her slowly nodded.

"I promise."

Rapunzel nodded, taking a nervous breath as she let go of his hand and reached for a thick lock of hair. She then gave him a look, "Just don't… freak out… ok?" She said uncertainly as she began to wrap her golden hair around his hand.

Jack eyed her hair uncertainly. _What is she doing with her hair? _He wondered, but he tentatively replied, "Alright."

Once the hair was wound tight, Rapunzel took a deep breath and did something that took Jack completely by surprise. She started to sing.

"_Flower gleam and glow_

"_Let your power shine"_

As Rapunzel sang, her long hair began to glow, looping across the room like little threads of sunlight, filling Jack's chest with strangely comforting warmth. Pascal scurried across the floor and climbed up onto Rapunzel's shoulder. Jack could've sworn the chameleon was smirking at him, if that were even possible.

"_Make the clock reverse"_

"_Bring back what once was mine"_

The light spread through her hair, flowing like a river and filling the room with an almost angelic glow.

"_Heal what has been hurt"_

"_Change the fate's design"_

The hair that had been coiled around his hand began to glow. Jack's eyes widened at the warmth, the energy that began to flow through his body, completely filling him up. It was so different seeing Rapunzel's hair glow, and then feeling it. It was amazing, making him feel so light that he could fly.

"_Save what has been lost"_

"_Bring back what once was mine" _

Jack's eyes fell to Rapunzel's face. Her closed eyes made her look peaceful, and her pink lips slowly formed the next words. She was so beautiful… Jack almost wanted to… Jack blushed at the thought despite himself. He was being an idiot, Rapunzel's hair was _glowing_ and all he could think about was… was _kissing _her.

"_What once was mine."_

Rapunzel slowly opened her eyes, looking at him nervously as she slowly began to unwind her hair. Jack opened his mouth to say something, but found himself unable to find the words, what he'd just witnessed finally seemed to hit him. How could such a thing have happened? How was it even possible? How could-

The breath flew out of his lungs as though he'd been punched when he looked down at his hand, the blood, the wound… it was gone! Completely healed, as though it had never been there in the first place. His mouth went dry, and he struggled to speak, but all he could manage was a strangled "ahhhhhhh…" Rapunzel immediately lifted her hands up, her eyes widening with panic.

"Please don't freak out!"

Jack immediately silenced himself, sucking in a deep breath and rolling his eyes up at the ceiling. _Okay, so Rapunzel has magical hair that glows and heals when she sings. It's not weird. I've seen a dragon… so this… this is nothing._ Jack let the breath out in a loud 'whoosh' before he forced a smirk on his face. "So, is the glowing hair and magic powers a new thing? Or is healing hair just a normal thing with you?"

Rapunzel laughed and looked away, playing with the long strands of her hair. "Uh… I've been able to do it forever, I guess…" She shrugged, staring at her lap for a moment. She then sighed and swept back her long hair, revealing a short brown strand that curled up slightly. "My mother told me when I was a baby people tried to cut it… They wanted to take the power for themselves, but once it's cut… it turns brown and loses all its power." Rapunzel sighed and stared at the floor. "A gift like that, it has to be protected." She turned and looked at him in the eyes. Jack felt his heart skip a beat.

He tilted his head, "Is that why you didn't ever leave, until the lights, I mean…" Jack asked, gently taking her hand. He couldn't imagine how she must have felt for eighteen years, to believe that she would be hunted if she ever went outside. She must have been terrified when he'd first come in the tower… but she'd still trusted him. He was the first person from the outside world she'd ever trusted. He felt a smile pull on his lips. Was it wrong for him to feel happy for that?

He felt her squeeze his hand as she smiled at him. "Until then." She said softly as she smiled at him.

Jack bit the inside of his lip. He didn't want to force her, but…

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her in and sinking his fingers into her soft hair. "Please." He begged softly, squeezing her gently. "I can't stay here forever." He pulled away, cupping her face in his hands. "When I leave, I want you to come with me."

Rapunzel's eyes widened, and Jack could see her rushing through the options, her possible choices, and her desires. Jack's heart rate quickened as he waited. He wanted her to be with him.

_I know I've just met her, and I know I'm going to sound like an idiot, but…_ His eyebrows rose pleadingly as he gazed at her. _But I can't imagine_ _not being with her anymore. _Jack thought of Merida- the princess and Hiccup. He'd had to leave her.

He remembered the look on his face when he'd read the letter, the pain in his voice… he wouldn't end up like that. It would be like being alone all over again. He squeezed his eyes shut. _Please, Punz. Please. _

"Ok." She said softly. Jack's eyes flew open and he immediately looked to her, wondering if he'd really heard her correctly. She was smiling with a mix of nervousness and… excitement. "I-I'll go with you."

Jack felt his mouth spread into a grin, letting out a bout of laughter. She was going with him! They could be together! He hugged her tightly.

Maybe everything would be all right.

TTT

Toothiana and her fairies swung across the trapeze, the familiar chorus of wires creaking as they flipped, tucked and spun through the air.

The new routine was a bit difficult, but the few days she'd had to practice had been helpful, and she'd missed the time she usually spent training her fairies. She prepared to make her next jump. She needed to do a triple back flip –while making sure to keep her legs tucked in- and make sure that she was close enough for Fye to catch her hands. Toothiana would then tuck her knees around Fye's trapeze and pull herself up; they'd then sit together and wave to the crowd.

It would be one of Fye's first performances as a highlighted trapeze artist.

Tooth knew it was exciting for her, but the teen was also nervous. She wanted to do well, and it was a very difficult routine for her first time being featured instead of being a background trapeze artist.

In fact, it was one of the most extreme acts Toothiana had ever done, and it required exact timing and concentration. With a quiet grunt she pulled herself up, releasing the bar and flipping through the air. The spotlights blinded her as she counted out each rotation. _One…Two... Three! _She flung out her arms, feeling Fye's fingers curl around her wrists. Tooth returned the gesture and began to pull herself up, feeling the familiar burn in her abdominals.

She slipped beside Fye, feeling the trapeze wire dig into her hip painfully. Despite it, she smiled brightly, raising her arm as though she were about to wave to an audience.

She could hear Pitch rise to his feet, although the bright spotlights shining in her eyes obscured her vision. "That was good." He said. Despite herself, Tooth felt a niggling feeling of irritation in her stomach. _Maybe he should try coming up here and flipping around without falling. _

She quickly shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking that way… but no matter how hard she tried, she found herself losing her patience with Pitch. She wanted to talk back; she wanted to stand up for herself.

She wanted to speak up.

"That's enough for today." Pitch instructed, earning a sigh of relief from most of the fairies. They'd been working ever since noon perfecting their performance, and Tooth had been working ever since she'd gotten home from her shopping trip with Fye. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't tired too.

TTT

Later on in the dressing room, Toothiana felt a warm hand on her shoulder as she finished fixing up her hair. She looked up into the mirror and saw Fye looking at her with concern. "Are you ok, Tooth?"

Toothiana felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her. It had seemed like so long since someone had asked her that…

Tooth forced a smile and examined her hair in the mirror, touching it with her hands here and there to make sure it was as she liked it. "Of course." She lied. _I'm falling in love with someone else, how could I be all right? _She thought off handedly. Tooth bit down on her tongue, trying to banish the thoughts from her mind.

She wasn't allowed to think that way.

Fye looked unconvinced, her blue and pink eyes examining her carefully. She gave Toothiana's shoulder a squeeze. "Ok, but if you ever need to talk-"

"I know." Toothiana said, giving her a thankful smile and for a moment-just a moment- allowing her true feelings to show, all the confusion, the sadness… everything.

But only for a moment.

Toothiana rose to her feet, her long green dress swishing around her ankles as she pulled on her heels. She said her goodbyes to Fye and made her way to the door. Just as her fingertips met the cool metal of the door handle she heard Fye say softly.

"Hey, I don't know what's going on, but… just listen to your heart, okay? It will help you more than you might think."

Toothiana paused and looked over her shoulder. Fye was smiling at her hopefully, holding her hands together.

Toothiana tried to return the gesture, but she was certain it looked more like a grimace than anything.

She then turned away and opened the door, walking into the darkly lit hallway.

**A/N: Oh my goodness this took a long time to update, haha! Sorry about that ;^^. On the plus side, stuff is going to start getting intense in the next chapter, just a little forewarning ;). So, what do you think will happen next? What do you want to happen? What do you not want to happen? Who do you want to see? Leave me a review and let me know what you think!**

**Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! **


	10. Things That Fall Apart And Together

Chapter Ten: Things That Fall Apart… And Come Together

Toothiana sat at her vanity. She had just finished pinning up her brown curls, using little pins with diamond accents to hold the chignon in place, although she did let a few strands fall around her face.

She had slipped into the new dress the moment Pitch had gone downstairs to make sure the driver was ready; he wanted to make sure they got to the party on time. Tooth would be lying if she said her heart wasn't pounding at the thought of Pitch seeing her in such a short dress. As she draped her pearl necklace over her head, she tried to ignore the fact that her hands were shaking ever so slightly. _Breathe. _She commanded gently as she slipped off her wedding ring, setting it on the wooden table.

Her breath hitched slightly. It had never affected her to take off her wedding ring, but doing such a thing now… Toothiana quickly pulled on her long white gloves, sliding the ring on as quickly as she could.

For some reason she felt as though Pitch seeing her with her ring off-even if it were to put her gloves on- would be dangerous. She quickly shook her head, reaching for her lipstick. It was just silly of her to worry. Pitch… he would never hurt her.

Once she was done with her make up, she stood up and pulled on her shoes: simple black straps with a slight heel. Tooth took a deep breath, trying to slow her quickly beating heart as she smoothed her dress, the beads clicking together gently as her palms passed over them.

Then the door opened.

"Toothiana, the driver is ready now-" Pitch suddenly stopped speaking as Toothiana turned around to face him. She shivered when she saw his brow furrow and his jaw lock. "What are you wearing?" He asked coolly, calmly.

He was furious.

"Fye helped me pick it out." Toothiana said, smiling through the fear that pulsed through her veins. She'd never seen Pitch look so angry. His eyes seemed to shimmer with rage, but he remained so stoically collected. It sent chills down her spine. "She said that people in the circus tend to favor brighter, shorter dresses so-"

"Take it off." Pitch said sharply. Toothiana nearly flinched at his tone, but somehow… even in her fear… the way he was speaking to her made her _angry._

"No." Toothiana replied with such firmness it nearly surprised her. Pitch however was clearly shocked. His eyes widened and his brow shot up. Pitch's lips curled.

"What do you mean, 'no'?" He asked smoothly, dusting off his black suit and refastening his gold cufflinks.

"I-" Tooth swallowed before taking a deep breath, "I like this dress." She said strongly. "And I'm going to wear it tonight."

Pitch scoffed, "Don't be ridiculous, Toothiana." He said, stepping closer to her. Toothiana resisted the urge to back away as he loomed over her, gold eyes glowing in the low light of their bedroom.

Tooth simply forced a fake laugh, "Pitch, please. It's not a big deal-"

He snapped his hand around her wrist sharply, sending little rockets of pain shooting up her arm. Toothiana gasped in pain, shrinking back as Pitch leaned down close to her face, so close that she could feel his breath on her cheeks. "You look like a harlot, change it _now."_

Toothiana felt a soft whining in the back of her throat as his grip on her deepened. "Please, Pitch." She pleaded, "You're _hurting _me." Suddenly his eyes widened and he released her, stepping back as though her skin were burning hot.

Toothiana struggled to catch her breath; she felt energy rushing through her veins, burning like fire. She swiftly moved past him, forcing the air in and out of her lungs as she walked. _He- he didn't mean that. _Toothiana assured herself. It was just an accident.

She quickly hurried towards the car, slipping inside and folding her hands in her lap, squeezing them together until her knuckles turned white.

It was just a mistake.

TTT

Bunnymund tucked Sophie into bed, her shaggy blond hair lying across the pillows as she snuggled up closer to Jamie. "Now you go to sleep right away, sheila." Bunny said, brushing her bangs out of her face.

"But I don't want to!" She yawned as Jamie rolled his eyes, smiling at his younger sister. "I want to dance with everyone." She whined as Bunny pulled the covers up to her chin.

"When you're older, you'll be able to go to all of North's parties, but for now you need to go to sleep, alright you little ankle-biter?" Bunny teased, winning a soft giggle from Sophie.

"Okay…" Sophie grew quiet for a moment and looked down.

"What is it, Soph?" Bunny asked, frowning slightly as the sadness in her eyes.

Sophie sighed and turned to look at him. "I miss Miss Toothiana."

Bunny felt a pang of pain in his chest. It was his entire fault, wasn't it? He sighed. He couldn't hide from it any more: he'd fallen in love with Toothiana. How could he not? She was so kind, so beautiful. She made him feel as though he could do anything.

At times, he even felt as though she was his everything.

"Bun-Bun?" Sophie asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"Yeah, Soph?"

"Do you remember that stories you sometimes tell me?" She asked, blinking her wide green eyes.

"You mean the fairy tales, sheila?" Bunny asked, raising an eyebrow. It had been a while since she'd asked for one, usually she was so tuckered out by the end of the day that she went right to sleep, even now, Jamie was sleeping soundly next to her.

Sophie nodded. "Good always wins, right?" She asked softly, her quiet voice almost seemed strained.

Bunny felt his heart twist. Did good always win? He wondered as his throat closed up. In fairy tales, yes. But what about in life? Did things always turn out the way people wanted them? No… but sometimes it could lead to better things, right? He thought of Sophie and Jamie's parents, they were dead and the two children had been left orphans, but it had brought them all together.

Bunny smiled softly and leaned down giving Sophie a kiss on the forehead. Maybe now it seemed bad… but there was always hope that things would turn out all right, despite the strife it took to get there. Hope had never let him down before.

"Yes, sheila. Good always wins."

TTT

Tooth watched the buildings rolling by as the car sped down the street towards the circus grounds. She tried not to think about what had happened in the bedroom, despite the aching pain that pulsed in her arm.

She gave Pitch a fleeting glance; his arm was resting against the window with his chin in his hand. His fingers tapped as the car rumbled on: the only sound in the entire car.

It was driving Toothiana insane. She wanted to speak, but found herself unable to say any words. She felt as though she was drowning. Even if she screamed… she felt as though no one would hear.

The car rolled to a stop in front of the circus grounds, the big striped tents were nearly obscured by the darkened sky. Tooth quickly got out of the car as the driver opened it for her. How should she act? Would anyone know what had happened? What should she-

She felt a hand on her back. She looked up to see Pitch, looking down on her with solemn amber eyes. "Shall we be go then, my dear?" he said, guiding her towards the tents. Toothiana took a deep breath and nodded, letting him lead her towards the light she could see glowing in the cracks between the tent flaps, music filled her ears: a heavy mix of beating drums and quickly paced horn of some kind, along with the cheers and clapping of the various party goers.

Pitch held open the flap for her and Toothiana stepped inside, instantly being greeted with a chorus of bright colors and sound. The sound of pounding feet danced around her ears mixing with the laughter and cries of glee as the song picked up its tempo. A dark-skinned woman in red swept by; swaying her hips in a way that made several men in the room crane their necks.

Toothiana caught sight of Jack swiping a cup of beer from a large table overflowing with all kinds of treats and alcohol. Tooth waved to him and gave him a wry grin. He smirked and took a swig of the drink, shivering at the shocking taste. Toothiana gave him a look of accusation, but he simply broke of into a bout of laughter and jumped off onto the dance floor, easily mixing in with the pulsing crowd.

Tooth laughed and shook her head, turning away just in time to be swept into a bone-cracking hug. "Oh Tooth! Is good to see, no?"

Tooth gasped in laughter, "It's been a while, North." She said as he released her. The giant man laughed, turning to clap Pitch on the back, smiling greatly.

"We are glad to see you both, please, dance! Drink! Celebrate all your hard work!"

It was then that Tooth noticed how red in the face North was. "Oh my," she laughed as he moved along, jumping right into the dance floor right into a Charleston singing along to the beat of the music. Several circus folk burst into cheers and Tooth noticed a few people from the theatre jumping in. She was sure that she saw Fye get swept into a dance by someone.

There was a gentle tapping next to her. Toothiana looked down to see Sandy smiling at her softly, his round cheeks appeared to glow in the light, or perhaps he was feeling a little drunk as well. The small man offered her a goblet. For a moment she hesitated, Pitch didn't usually like her to drink since she was such a lightweight and it made it easier for her to get drunk. Tooth took a deep breath and grabbed the cup, downing it in a few gulps.

"Ahh." She said, handing the cup back to Sandy, whose eyes were wide with shock as she blinked quickly, steadying herself as she tried to regain her balance. "Thanks, Sandy." She said, smiling as she patted his shoulder. The stout man blinked in surprise at her eagerness, but smiled and raised his arms as though her were just about to try and convey something when Tooth felt a hand on her arm.

"What are you doing?" Pitch's low voice snapped quietly, his lips brushing against her ear chillingly "you know you'll get drunk if you drink too much."

Under normal circumstances she would have been afraid, but she'd had just enough beer to make her feel a little loose. A little free. A Little unafraid.

"Come on, Pitch. It's a party." Tooth said, slipping out of his grasp, not noticing how his eyes widened. "I'm not a child, I don't need you to watch over my shoulder all the time, okay?" She said it softly, but she could see him flinch at her words.

At her rebellion.

"You're acting like a child." He said, gritting his teeth as he did so. That did manage to draw some attention. A large man- the one Toothiana though she heard was called Ralph- glanced over, frowning slightly.

"Everything all right, folks?" He said, crossing his arms.

Pitch paused for a moment, giving Toothiana a hard glare before he coolly said "Everything is fine." Then he straightened up, folding his long arms behind his back and turning towards Toothiana, "Is it not, my dear?"

Toothiana swallowed, her mouth suddenly feeling dry. She quickly cleared her throat when she could have sworn she saw Pitch's eyes darken. "Yes, everything is fine." She said stiffly, giving Ralph the most reassuring smile she could manage.

Ralph hesitated, but eventually turned away.

Pitch smoothly spun towards her, his frustration was apparent, although she doubted anyone else would notice through his usual calm demeanor. "What is going on?" He asked pleadingly, his eyes softening for a moment. "I don't understand."

For some reason… his words just seemed to make her even more upset. She couldn't speak her mind, and then he got upset when he didn't understand. What gave him the right to do that? She'd spent so long being patient, submitting to his every whim for _years_, and for what? Why did she keep doing it? In the beginning… she loved him that much was true, and in the early days she would have done anything for him. He'd saved her from a life of poverty, so had she even loved him in the first place? Toothiana didn't know. Had it been just a sense of responsibility towards him that stirred her affections for him? Or had it been a real connection?

Looking back on their early budding relationship, all she could remember was happiness… the success she felt at working her way into his stone heart. The comfort of feeling his arms around her. Then Aster came and she… _lived_.

Then everything between her and Pitch just seemed to… break apart. It reminded Toothiana of the winters in her childhood home, sometimes ice would freeze in the large rocks on the hillside, forming small cracks, and then when spring came, the sun melted the snow and the rocks would split apart with a loud crack.

She no longer felt love for Pitch, at least the romantic kind… yes she still cared for him, how could she not? But did that mean she should continue to pretend? Or should she...?

"It's nothing." She said simply, looking off into the pulsing crowd of swinging dancers and bright skirts. Pitch locked his jaw for a moment before he opened his mouth to say something, but a familiar booming laugh fell upon them and a large, meaty hand swung Pitch away.

"Come Pitch, we must give you drink, no? To loosen the collar, ha ha! Is good saying, is it not?" North boomed, leaning on Pitch's lithe figure with most of his massive force as he spun the lanky man around and led him towards a table piled high with wine, beer and ale.

Tooth took the moment to slip off into the crowd, her head was feeling somehow… feverish, and all she could think about was Aster, he should be here, shouldn't he? She couldn't explain her desire to be with him- no that's a lie- she knew _exactly _why she wanted to be with him. It was the softness in his eyes, the warmth of his touch, the way she could tell him anything, how when she was with him she somehow seemed to feel whole.

She loved him. She… she _loved _him. A rush of feelings overwhelmed her, maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the heat, or the music that wafted around her, a smooth voice rolling through the air, slipping over her shoulders and around her waist, maybe it was the warm, calloused fingers that gently brushed her bare arm.

Maybe it was the way his gruff voice uttered her name, "Tooth,"

Toothiana turned around, smiling softly as she let her own slender fingers brush the skin on his forearm as she looked at him. He wore simple black pants and suspenders; the sleeves on his white shirt were rolled up past the elbow. _He looks almost the same as he did the first day we met… _Tooth thought fondly.

Her eyes traced his strong jaw, his sideburns, the way short his blue-gray hair looked so soft it made her want to run her fingers through it.

His clear green eyes that seemed to see straight into her heart.

"Aster." She said, smiling simply as she began to slowly slide her hands away. Bunny's brow furrowed for a moment before he closed her small hand in his large one. Tooth knew she should pull away. She _should _back away. She _should _apologize; she _should _go back to Pitch…

Then again, lately Tooth had been getting in a habit of doing things she _shouldn't. _

Tooth slowly closed her fingers around his. It felt so easy. So right. So whole.

Bunny's eyes widened for a moment, and then he smiled, looking as though he wanted to pick her up right then and there and swing her off her feet.

They both seemed to move at the same time, stepping out away from the crowd towards the tent flap. Bunny took his free arm, pushing it aside for her. Toothiana ducked under his arm and out into the cool night. The light air tussled a stray hair that had been pinned back, leaving a soft brown curl the rest against her face.

Bunny followed after her, letting the flap fall so that no one would notice they had gone. He then crossed over to her, the dirt crunching under his shoes. Tooth looked up to him, her heart pounding quicker and quicker as he drew closer.

He stood above her now, almost looking shy somehow. "I –uh-" He cleared his throat. "I missed you, Toothy."

Tooth felt a lump begin to form in her throat. He hadn't even been angry with her. He had been just as sad and lonely as she had. "I missed you to." She said, feeling warm tears begin to well in her eyes. "So much."

"Tooth," Aster said, stepping so close that their chests touched. A gust of wind rippled through the air, rumpling the tarp of the tent and sending a shocking jolt through Toothiana, clearing the haze of the alcohol and the party from her mind. She gasped when she felt Bunny's hand on her cheek.

She shouldn't be doing this. Toothiana felt a twinge of remorse, not for her feelings towards Aster, but for how much she knew it would hurt her husband. God, how could she do this?

She leaned into his touch despite herself. Maybe she could –just for a moment- allow herself some peace, some happiness. Maybe just a moment would be enough. She could hold onto it, and maybe –just maybe- that could help her carry on.

_It's just for now. _She told herself.

"Tooth," He said, lifting his other hand from hers and using it to cup her face in his hands, tilting it up so that they met eyes. "I need to tell you something."

Toothiana's eyes snapped open and she immediately began to try and back away. She knew what he was going to say, and he couldn't say it! He just couldn't! Because if he did… then it could never just be a moment, she would want it forever. As soon as the words leave his lips, she'll never be able to go back to the way she was before.

Nothing would ever be the same, and that was terrifying.

It was terrifying how much she wanted to hear the words. It was terrifying how much she wanted to _say _them. Because she had never felt so strongly, so passionate about someone before.

She had never loved someone the way she loved Aster.

"Don't run away." He said softly, dropping a hand to her waist and gently pulling her back to him. "Please," he begged, leaning down and letting his forehead rest against hers. "Please don't run away."

Tooth closed her eyes, pushing her eyelids together tightly as the warm tears threatened to slip down her cheeks. She wanted to hear him say it, no matter how much she tried to convince herself she shouldn't. She needed to hear him say it.

She felt his breath on her cheeks, and his forehead resting against hers. "I-" He began, sounding somewhat breathless. "_I love you_."

Toothiana's heart clenched and the tears slipped through her closed eyes, falling down her cheeks and shimmering in the silver light. Her body seemed to move of its own accord, throwing her arms around his shoulders and raising up onto her tiptoes as she buried her face in his shoulder. Tooth took a shuddering breath, twisting her fingers around the cloth of his shirt before whispering back, "I love you, too."

And just like that, he swept her in his arms, pressing his lips to hers.

It was like the world faded out. There were no fireworks, no booms, no flashes of color. Just the simple warmth of their arms around each other, their hearts beating in time as the music, the lights, the cheers, all faded out.

There was no one but the two of them in the world.

Bunny slipped his arms around her waist, lifting her up until her toes barely touched the ground. Tooth slipped her fingers into his hair, gently stroking at the soft strands as she returned the kiss completely.

They were in love.

And in that moment, it was just the two of them in the world. In that moment, they could be together.

Then there was the sound of a tent flap being pushed aside and Bunny immediately set Tooth down, stepping away, but not removing his hand from her waist. Toothiana gasped for breath and turned toward the silhouette that was blacked out by the bright lights of the party. Toothiana blinked for a moment, allowing her eyes to adjust, then she looked again.

Her blood seemed to freeze.

Pitch.

He glared at her, but it was nothing compared to the look he gave Bunnymund. It was, dark, chilling, _murderous. _Toothiana felt a chill sweep through her, but Bunny simply returned the look and gave her waist a comforting squeeze.

Pitch's amber eyes immediately shot to Bunny's hand, and his lip curled. His gray hand snatched up her wrist, yanking Tooth out of Bunny's arms roughly, so that she slammed into his own chest. Tooth yelped quietly at the feeling of the bones in her wrist grinding against each other.

"Oi!" Bunny shouted, leaping forward, ready to rip Pitch away from Toothiana.

"Stop!" Toothiana shrieked, holding out her free hand to ward Aster off. If he attacked Pitch… he could be hurt, Pitch would send out his nightmares. She wouldn't let it happen. She couldn't

She loved him too much.

Bunny instantly stopped, a mix of confusion, shock and anger playing across his face. "Please. Don't fight." Tooth begged, looking between the two men.

Bunny paused then turned away and kicked over a wooden bin, sending it crashing to the ground. The music within the tent quieted, along with a few curious voices arose.

Pitch leaned down to her ear, whispering with a biting voice, "We are leaving now."

Bunny grit his teeth and clenched his fist, beginning to open his mouth and say something, but Tooth quickly shook her head. They had been stupid to think that they could have ever been together…

It was like hoping for sunlight in the middle of the night: it was impossible.

Toothiana hung her head, holding her hands in front of her as Pitch turned her around, his slender fingers gripping her shoulder as he led her towards the car. Toothiana spared a glance from the corner of her eye and immediately looked away. Any remenants of the warmth she'd felt moments before instantly dissipated with the single look of Pitch's face.

Cold, dark, fury.

It was like a pan that had been sitting on the stove for too long: boiling and about to overflow. Toothiana had had experience with such things, and she remembered exactly what happened when the steaming water spilled over.

She got burned.

TTT

"You spend all your time with that man!" Pitch shouted, yanking his tie off and throwing it on the floor.

Toothiana felt her anger flare up. She had been patient for so long, never arguing when he said he had to work late, or when he was leaving early to not return until long after she'd fallen asleep. Well now, Toothiana was done being quiet, and she was fed up with being treated like a second priority. She was going to tell Pitch exactly how she felt.

"At least he _tries _to spend time with me!" Toothiana argued, her voice rising slightly. "You're gone _all _the time! Do you want me to just sit at home by myself all day long waiting for you?" She flung her arms down in exasperation as she felt the rage building in her chest.

She hadn't realized how much frustration she had been holding in.

"I have to _work, _Toothiana!" Pitch shouted, flinging a hand. "That's how I pay for all the things you have-"

"I never asked for these things-" Tooth tried to interject.

"You shouldn't have to!" Pitch countered, slamming his fist down on his palm. "I _want _to be able to provide what you want-"

"I _wanted _to spend time with you, but you never asked me what _I_ wanted-"

"You could have fooled me, Toothiana." Pitch seethed, his amber eyes darkening. "Traipsing around with that dirty-"

"Don't talk about him that way!" Toothiana shouted, her cheeks burning red with anger as she stamped a foot. "Aster is-"

"Ohohoho," Pitch laughed dryly as he unbuttoned the collar of his dress shirt. "You seem to be _very _close to him." He squeezed his eyes shut before he cracked them open, glaring at her darkly, "What _is_ it you do while I'm gone, Toothiana?"

A shiver ran down the young woman's spine as she stepped towards the door, feeling herself shrink back. "It's not like that-"

"But it is, isn't it?" Pitch stepped towards her, his upper lip curling up slightly. "I saw you two together tonight-"

"That?" Toothiana panicked as his hand closed tightly around her arm. The kiss. The kiss that could never- _would- _never happen again. She'd known it the moment Pitch had found them. It hurt. She loved Aster, and he loved her in return, but where did that leave Pitch? Maybe it had been hopeless from the beginning… maybe they had never been meant to be together anyways. Would it help to tell Pitch the truth? She remembered the throbbing pain in her arm. No. If she told him… what whould he do? He wouldn't hurt her… no he wouldn't Pitch would never-

"Tell me!" He snarled, squeezing his hand around her tightly as thunder boomed from outside and slow pellets of rain began to patter against the window.

"That was nothing-" She winced as his fingers pressed tightly into the soft flesh of her arm. "Ahh" She gasped in pain, trying to pull her arm out of his firm grasp. "Please Pitch, you're hurting-"

White lightning flashed. "Do. Not. Lie. To. Me." He seethed, leaning in close to her. His amber eyes flashed menacingly as Toothiana's widened in fear. "How many times has he held you like that? Kissed you?" He suddenly released her, stepping away as though her skin had burned him, but the fury engraved in his features never dissipated. "How many times has he had you?"

Tooth's eyes widened, "What?" She asked stepping forward. "He's never- _we've _never-"

"Then what exactly _do _you do while I'm gone?" Pitch advanced forward quickly, forcing Toothiana to skitter back before he ensnared her in his grip. "What is it that you keep from me?" Her breath hitched as he shook her, "Why do you do this to me?" His voice was laced with pain, "Don't you know how much I love you?"

His fingers sunk against her skin, forcing her to yelp in pain. Toothiana yanked herself away from him, grabbing onto the vanity for balance as she stumbled. She looked up, huffing as the adrenaline coursed through her veins, flashes of thoughts blurred through her mind. Her flying emotions mixed with the drink she'd had at the party blurred her thought made her careless, they made her say things she'd regret. Toothiana shook her head, tears of anger, fear, and frustration spilling down her cheeks as she shouted, "Sometimes, I don't think you do!"

She instantly gasped, covering her mouth. His eyes flared as she saw him raise his hand, his face curling into a furious glare as a dark blur swung towards her.

Toothiana felt a sharp stinging sensation as something _cracked _painfully against her cheek.

She felt herself slam back, the edge of the vanity jamming painfully into her side as she collapsed to the ground. Tears burned against her eyes as she tentatively touched the red-hot flesh on her cheek, where a pink, hand shaped bruise was already taking form.

She gasped as the tears ran down her cheeks, burning like fire against the sensitive skin. How could he do this? How could he hurt her? She'd trusted him. Toothiana remembered her kiss with Bunny. Did she deserve this? She'd been trying to tell him the truth, she was trying to make things right, but she'd let her emotions run wild. She was stupid, stupid, stupid. She'd done horrible hurtful things to Pitch, and she knew it, but she couldn't help but feel utterly betrayed and hurt by what he'd done. _Why? _She thought as she slowly curled up, tucking her knees to her chest. She'd never thought he'd do something like this, and that hurt even more than his slap.

She heard the soft creaking of wood beneath feet and then, "Toothiana-" She heard a soft voice say gently. She looked up from her legs and through her tears to see Pitch hovering over her, his gold eyes filled with remorse. "I'm so sorry, love. I- I didn't mean to-" He said softly, kneeling in front of her and holding his arms out soothingly, as though to a wounded animal.

Toothiana tucked her knees to her chest and scooted back towards the wall, trying to shrink into the shadows.

Pitch shifted forward; opening his arms to her, "please," he said gently, "Whatever you've done I'll forgive it, please." He begged, his voice shaking with desperation. "Please don't run from me." His fingers brushed her skin and Toothiana jumped to her feet, skittering away from him and flinging open the door.

She heard Pitch clatter after her, "Toothiana," he shouted desperately, "Wait!"

Tooth continued running, all the way down the stairs, past the servants and out the door into the rain. She ignored the calls of her name and the feeling of rain smashing into her skin; she ignored the flashing lightning and the booming thunder. She even ignored the aching bruises forming on her face, ribs and arms.

All she could feel was cold, hard, fear and an aching sadness. She needed to run away. She needed to get away from it all.

There was one person she could go to.

TTT

Aster looped and wove the leather strips of the dream catcher together, fastening little feathers at the end of each cord. He had nearly completed it, but there were still a few finishing touches that needed to be done.

Bunny sighed, setting the dream catcher down on his bedside table next to a cup of unfinished beer and leaning back on his makeshift bed. Toothiana had told him she loved him, and it had made him so happy-he couldn't even remember the last time he'd felt such a feeling

Then Pitch came… Bunny squeezed his eyes shut. That bastard didn't deserve Toothiana.

Bunny opened his eyes again. What would happen now? Would she pretend the kiss had never happened? Would he ever see her again? Bunny clenched his fist. No. He wouldn't let that happen he would see her again, and he would fight for her. There was no way he was letting Pitch Black keep them apart.

He loved her, and that was something worth fighting for.

Bunny heard a rustling mixed in with the sound of falling rain from outside, he instantly got up, reaching for the boomerang he kept hidden under his pillow. It may have seemed trivial, but Bunnymund knew his way around the object, and was skilled enough to use it as a pretty formidable weapon.

He held the boomerang at the ready as the tent flap was pushed aside, and in stepped… Toothiana, soaking wet with rainwater that trailed down her cheeks and arms.

"Tooth!" Bunny exclaimed, bolting forward and wrapping his arms around her. "You came back." He breathed into her hair as he gently stroked her hair. She was back. She was in his arms. She slipped her arms around him in return, clinging to him like a lifeline.

Then he felt her shaking.

"Toothy?" He asked, pulling back just enough do see some of the drops on her face weren't rain. They were tears. He felt his heart lurch as he instantly bent down to her height, tilting her face towards his. "What happened, Tooth?"

She simply closed her eyes, biting down on her lower lip and shaking her head. It was then that he noticed the large red mark on her cheek in the haunting shape od a hand print. Fury flared up inside of him at the sight of it. _I'll kill that dirtbag! _He thought darkly, but then he felt Tooth pull away from him for a moment. He watched her cross over to his night stand and take the small glass of beer in her hand. With a single gulp she downed it, letting the glass fall to the table with a clack.

She paused for a moment, and then she turned back to him, fresh tears tracking down her cheeks as her lower lip quivered. "It still hurts." She said softly.

Bunny let the anger out of him for the moment. She needed him now. He took her face in his hands and gently kissed her bruising cheek, then he moved to the next. He felt her rise onto her tiptoes, so he gave her a gentle kiss on the lips.

He didn't know who started it, but somehow they ended up kissing more heatedly, more passionately. It felt so good, so wonderful to be close to her. To feel her fingers in his hair and her heart beating beneath his. He gently guided her to the bed, laying her down carefully so that he didn't accidentally bump her into any furniture. She pulled his arms around her, guiding him to the zipper at the back of her dress.

Bunny suddenly broke the kiss, panting heavily as he looked down at the woman beneath him. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips swollen. Her makeup was running from the rain and her tears and ran down her cheeks. Her hair was mussed and halfway hanging out of its up do and splaying across the pillow.

She was beautiful.

"You sure you want to do this, sheila?" Bunny asked, gently nuzzling his nose against hers. Tooth's eyes flickered with thoughts that Bunny couldn't understand. She was a mystery to him, and yet she was the only thing that brought him clarity.

"Do you love me?" She finally asked, fear flickering across her face for a split second. Bunny paused for a moment and then smiled.

"Beyond the moon and back."

Toothiana leaned up to him, her breath against his lips, "Then I'm ready."

**A/N: Sooooo…. Review? The good, the bad, and the ugly. What did you like, what didn't you like? What do you think or hope will happen? What are you afraid will happen? I hope you enjoyed and such, but just so you know, our characters aren't out of the storm yet.**


	11. A Performance to Remember

Chapter Eleven: a Performance to Remember

Toothiana hummed, stretching out her arms and leaning into the figure embracing her. They felt so warm, so tender. She tucked her chin in against their chest, draping her arms over their shoulders.

Then she opened her eyes. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Bunny sleeping so soundly beside her, looking more at peace then she'd ever seen him before. She felt her heart twist as his strong arms pulled her closer against his chest, moving one of his hands around her so that his fingers slipped into her –now freed- curls.

Toothiana sighed, letting her enjoy the feeling of being near him. The moment was so perfect, so warm, that she could have lain there forever.

"Hey, Bunny! North said-" A familiar voice said as the shifting of a tent flap hushed across the room. Toothiana's cheeks flushed as she fumbled to grab for the sheets, pulling them up to her chest as Bunny stirred at the voice.

Toothiana looked over her shoulder to see Hiccup's face burn red as his mouth dropped. Tooth fumbled to find an explanation, but Hiccup simply turned on his heel and mumbled something about needing to go feed Toothless, letting the flap fall closed.

Tooth dropped her face in her hands. What was she going to do? If Pitch found out… she didn't even want to think about it. She quickly tossed the covers off and pattered across the ground to where her dress, among other things had been haphazardly tossed in the middle of last night's… _activities. _She quickly pulled on her dress, and began searching for her pearls and one of her gloves.

"Where are you going?" Bunny asked tentatively as he got off the mattress, stepping into his pants and fastening the belt buckle with a click.

Toothiana quickly grabbed her necklace –it had been thrown beneath the nightstand- and dropped it over her head. "Home." She said hurriedly just as she spotted her glove, slumped at the base of the bed. She stood up, not bothering to dust off her dress as she passed by Bunny, picking up the glove and sliding it up her arm. "Home." She said, grabbing her shoes and pulling them on.

She didn't see Bunny frown, but she felt him come up behind her and gently slip his arms around her. "Why?" He asked in her ear. She wanted so badly to lean into him, to be with him, but she couldn't, and she knew that.

"Last night… was a _mistake_." She bit down on her tongue, the words making her stomach churn. She loved Bunny, she loved him so much. She loved him so much that she wasn't going to think of herself. If she left Pitch for him… he'd come after her, she knew it. Pitch was never the kind to give up what was his. Toothiana didn't want to believe Pitch would hurt Bunny, but after what had happened last night… she lifted her hand gently to her sore cheek, wincing at the pain that ensued even with the slightest pressure. She felt Bunny stiffen for a moment, and tried not to think of the hurt look on his face.

Tears burned at her eyes, she was doing the right thing wasn't she? She was protecting the person she loved, right?" She felt his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. She looked into his green eyes-confused and desperate. "You don't mean that." he said, bringing his rough hand to her unharmed cheek, "I know you love me."

Toothiana took in a shuddering breath, closing her eyes in an attempt to hide her tears. She bit down on the inside of her lip so hard that she tasted blood. "You don't understand." She said, voice wavering.

Bunny's gaze softened, and he gently brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away a tear she didn't know had fallen. "Maybe I don't" He said huskily, holding her close and resting his chin on her head, "but if you're afraid of Pitch, I swear that I'll protect you, even if it kills me."

Toothiana felt her heart leap into her throat, and her lungs suddenly felt constricted. She pushed away from him, retracting her arms so he couldn't stop her, "I need to go." She said, her voice wavering for a split second. She quickly wiped her eyes and straightened her back, making herself look completely composed.

"Toothy, please-" Aster said, gently taking her wrist as she turned away. Toothiana squeezed her eyes shut, bringing her arm across her chest. At that moment, she swore it was the only thing still holding her together.

"Please," She said softly, refusing to look back at him, because she knew that if she did… she wouldn't leave. Not ever. "Let me go." She said, tears burning at her eyes. She could practically feel his heart twist in pain and betrayal, and it broke her heart. She tried to stand up a little straighter, but her face remained tilted towards the ground. It wasn't about her right now.

She felt his grip loosen just barely, and Tooth took the moment to slip out of his grasp, slipping out of the tent and beginning to walk through the circus grounds- hopefully before anyone noticed her.

Just as the thought entered her mind she saw Sandy, at first the man had lifted his arm to wave at her, smiling his usual bright smile, but then his eyes fell to her cheek and his mouth dropped. Toothiana quickly looked down, crossing both her arms and tried to hurry away, but the man –despite his stoutness- could be very quick, and in a flash he was gently placing a warm hand on her arm.

"Please Sandy, I need to go home. Pitch is waiting for me." Tooth said stiffly. Sandy didn't move, or say anything, but she could feel his gentle gaze fixed on her as she focused on a particular pebble on the ground. "If I don't get home soon, Pitch will be upset," she said, the weight of what Pitch had done to her fully beginning to sink in. That hurt more than the slap itself. "If I don't get home soon…" She fumbled for words. "I-"

She felt something soft press into her hand. She looked away from the dirt and saw a clean handkerchief embroidered with golden thread around the edges. She smiled softly and closed her fingers around the cloth, finally meeting Sandman's gentle gaze. He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "Thank you." He nodded, but the concern didn't leave his face as she pulled away, dabbing at her eyes with the handkerchief before giving him a quick goodbye and walking away, forgetting to return the handkerchief completely.

She forced herself to not look back.

Where would she go?

Home? Was it even home? _Not really, not anymore. _She thought dejectedly as she walked. But where else did she have to go?

TTT

Sandy walked into Bunny's room, his amber eyes scanning the tent. It was a bit messier than usual-not that he really needed to look around to know what had happened between the two last night, or for the past few weeks for that matter.

He'd picked up on it the moment he'd seen the two speaking with each other for the first time, and his suspicions had been confirmed when Bunny asked him for help on building a dream catcher. Maybe Bunny hadn't let himself believe it yet, but Sandy knew whom he intended to give the dream catcher to.

Bunny slipped through the flap leading to where the animals were kept and immediately locked eyes with Sandy. He stopped when Sandy tilted his head slightly to the side.

Bunny scoffed and shook his head, letting his hands drop to his sides as he crossed the room to his bedside table, picking up the dream catcher and beginning to loop the final pieces of leather together. "Don't look at me like that, mate." He said gruffly, refusing to look at him.

Sandy wanted to huff, everyone had been doing that lately, and it was getting on his nerves. He'd always had an iffy feeling about Pitch, although he never would've admitted it, and then he'd figured out Bunny and Tooth… he'd seen the change in his features - a sort of happiness that he hadn't had before.

And it was easy to see Toothiana had felt the same way, especially at the party. Sandy had seen them lock eyes and that instant he knew they were in love. He wanted them to be happy, and based on the mark he'd seen on Toothiana's cheek… it didn't involve Pitch. He walked over and sat next to Bunny, who stopped his twisting, letting his hands fall in his lap. Sandy looked at him, waiting to hear what he needed to get out.

"I love her, Sandy." Bunny said lightly, looking of into the distance. Sandy nodded, folding his hands in his lap. Bunny shook his head, "what should I do?"

Sandy paused, what should he do? He pattered his fingers across the blankets before he came to a good solution. He hopped up and grabbed one of Bunny's sketchbooks.

"Oi!" Bunny said, getting up and trying to close the book. Sandy simply flipped through the pages until he came upon a blank one, he then grabbed one of Bunny's pencils and scrawled out his message for Bunny to read, holding it up.

"Fight… For… Her?" Bunny said, pulling his brows together. Sandy nodded encouragingly.

Bunny chuckled and smirked, "sounds like a good plan, mate."

TTT

Toothiana made her way slowly up the stairs to her room, dread filling her heart and weighing down on her like lead. _Will he hit me again? _She wondered, tightening her hand around the cloth of her skirt. _Please, please, please. _She inwardly begged. _Please let me be safe, please let him not be there. _

She closed her fingers around the doorknob, taking a deep breath. "It'll be alright, Tooth." She said as strongly as she could before pushing open the door.

Pitch was sitting on their bed, his head in his hands. He looked up immediately, light filling his face as he quickly rushed towards her. "Toothiana!" He exclaimed as he reached her. Tooth flinched against her will as he brought his arms around her and held her to his chest. Her heart hammered as she tried to find what she should do, or say. "I was so worried about you." He whispered into her hair.

Tooth's arms hung limply at her sides as she replied, "Don't worry, I'm alright." Pitch pulled away, placing a hand on either side of her face as he examined the bruise, a mix of pain and regret filling his eyes.

He slipped one hand away, and leaned in, pressing his cold lips against her cheek. Toothiana shuddered and Pitch pulled away. Looking into her eyes. Tooth stared back. Despite his gentleness, fear pooled in her stomach and nearly had her hands trembling. "I'm so sorry." He said, sounding completely genuine as his eyes flashed to her bruise, "I-" he shook his head, sitting down on the bed, gently guiding her towards him. "I don't know what came over me." He said, his voice sounding strained as he shook his head, running his fingers through his hair. "Please," he said, taking Tooth's hand in his. "Forgive me." he gazed at her earnestly. Tooth's mouth dried up as she tried to find the proper words. She didn't want to forgive him, and that scared her, she wanted to be mad at him, she wanted to yell, cry… _leave. _But…

Toothiana placed her hand over his and gave him the best smile she could manage. "Of course I forgive you."

Pitch sighed with relief, pressing his lips to her knuckle. "Thank you, love. I promise-" He said, standing up and pressing his forehead to hers. "I won't let you down."

Toothiana felt the familiar sinking feeling in her chest. She wanted some space; she didn't want to be so close to him. She was feeling sick, she was scared, she- _breathe Toothiana, breathe! _She ordered, forcing her arms to stop shaking. _He promised he wouldn't do it again; it's going to be ok. _

She took a shallow breath, "I know, I know." She said, stepping away from him a little too abruptly, she knew he noticed, but… she just she couldn't.

"I-um I'm going to go take a shower… to get ready for tonight's performance." She clarified, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes.

Pitch's eyes were wide for a moment, but he slowly nodded. "Very well," he said, folding his hands together, "take as much time as you need."

Toothiana nodded, turning away and quickly walking to the door conjoining their room with the master bathroom. As soon as she closed the door she bolted the lock.

Something she had never done before.

TTT

That night, Bunny walked with North, Sandy, and Jack to their box seats, which had been specially given to them by Pitch. He looked around, the Theatre was absolutely _massive; _Deep, red, velvet curtains masked the stage and a dark black floor that barely seemed to be there. It just looked like a deep abyss that someone would fall into.

Their group took their seats, Bunny ending up being wedged between Sandy and Jack as the orchestra in the pit began to test their chords, the light music wafting up to their high perch above the stage.

Bunnymund took the moment to look around; the domed ceiling was decorated with a sort of white marble. A chandelier hung above them, the crystals setting off little speckles of light that danced above their heads.

"When is this thing supposed to start, mate?" Bunny asked, crossing his arms and leaning over to speak to North. Then all the lights went black, causing the crow to gasp as everyone turned their attention to the stage. A puff of white smoke appeared center stage, along with a bright spotlight. The cloud cleared, revealing Pitch in his usual clean suit, hair combed out of his face. Bunny grit his teeth and tightened his fingers around the armrests as he thought of the bruise that had been left on Toothiana's cheek thanks to him. "Show pony." He muttered underneath the cheers of the crowd.

"What's that, kangaroo?" Jack asked, leaning into him slightly.

"Nothin'." Bunny muttered, crossing his arms as the crowd's cheers hushed by Pitch simply raising his hand.

"Welcome," Pitch said theatrically, lifting his arms up high, "to the Theatre of Shadows." The crowd cheered again, so loud that it seemed to shake the chandelier. "Tonight you will see our performers risk their lives, perform dangerous and terrifying acts-" He paused for dramatic effect, making Bunny want to roll his eyes. He had the crowd wrapped around his finger. "and you will also be the first to witness a monstrous beast unlike any other on this stage for the very first time." He smiled darkly, revealing his shark like teeth. The crowd 'ooed' at that and Bunny leaned towards Jack.

"Are they talking about Toothless?" He whispered. Jack shrugged.

"I don't know, but Toothless is the last thing I'd call monstrous."

Bunny pondered that for a moment. "Where's Hiccup?" he asked.

"Backstage helping prep Toothless for his big performance. He said Pitch had a lot of trouble working with him."

Bunny felt himself smirk. He'd have to be sure to get Toothless an extra barrel of fish tonight.

"Now," Pitch continued silkily, "shall we begin?"

The lights went out.

And the show began.

TTT

Toothiana finished concealing the bruise with a layer of cover up and began to dust on the blush, despite the shaking of her hand.

The door to her dressing room clicked open and in stepped Fye, a white bag in her arms. "Hello, Fye." Toothiana said as the young girl hurried to close the door and rush over to her.

"Here's your costume, Toothiana." Fye said, offereing the bundle to her. Tooth looked at her hands, one holding a compact filled with blush and the other holding a brush. She looked to Fye apologetically, who simply draped the bag along the back of a chair.

"Thank you." Toothiana said simply, reaching for the pink eye shadow. She saw Fye pause in the mirror after turning away, then the young girl turned back, her eyes mixed with concern and confusion.

"Are you alright?" She young girl asked, stepping closer. Toothiana moved to the next eye.

"Mmmhmm." She hummed before reaching for the pink false eyelashes that grew wider as they moved farther from the eye.

Fye frowned at her, crossing her arms. "Did something happen with Pitch?"

Toothiana's heart began to hammer suddenly, and her chest hurt. Her cheek suddenly began to burn and she felt as though all the air had been punched from her lungs. She gasped, grabbing onto the counter with her hand as she struggled to breathe. Dots of color floated in front of her eyes before everything seemed to go dark. _What's happening? _She thought as she began to take short shallow breaths. Her head felt light and she began to go dizzy. Then out of her darkening vision she saw Pitch, looming over her with his sharp teeth glittering like knives. The teeth she once adored. He was coming towards her, and she wanted to run, she needed to get away. She didn't want to be stuck in the dark; she didn't want to be hit. She wanted the light. Where was it? She searched frantically for any source of light. For any hope. There was none.

She wanted to collapse on the ground and cry. She remembered where it went. She had sent it away. She tried to force herself to breath, but she felt like she was trapped underwater. Even if she tried to scream, no one would hear.

_Aster. _

She thought, clutching her arms to her chest.

Then she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders, bringing her back. "Toothiana, Toothiana, please!" Fye shouted, tears streaking down her cheeks as she struggled to bring Toothiana out of her stupor. .

Tooth suddenly gasped, taking a huge gulp of air, feeling relief wash over her as it filled her lungs. Suddenly her mind cleared. She was back in her chair, in front of the mirror with the make up piled on the counter, her costume resting on the back of the chair.

She… she was fine. Toothiana sighed with relief, nearly feeling tears of happiness sting her eyes. "Tooth!" Fye exclaimed, throwing her arms around her. Tooth blinked in surprised, but returned the hug. "What happened?" She asked, pulling away.

Toothiana fumbled for a response. She couldn't tell Fye about Pitch… "I think it was just a panic attack." Tooth replied, smiling as reassuringly as she could as she turned back to the mirror, trying to pretend nothing had happened. She reached for the lipstick and gently applied a thin coat.

Fye looked at her doubtfully and stepped closer. "Tooth, you can tell me-" she began when their door was thrown open. Tooth jumped up, standing in front of Fye and reaching for the lamp resting on the side table. She stopped when she realized it was just two of Pitch's 'nightmares.' They were twins… Tooth believed Pitch called them the Stabbington brothers…. They were huge, one of them even had an eye patch, but it seemed like it the only difference between the two. They both had red hair and both had to wear Pitch's black uniforms.

"What is it?" Toothiana asked, not afraid to put a little edge in her voice as the brothers leered at Fye.

"Mr. Black wants little Baby Tooth to run along and get ready." One of the brothers said, while the other jutted out his chin towards the darkened hallway.

Toothiana felt Fye stiffen and she placed a hand on the young girl's shoulder. "Go on ahead." She whispered, keeping her gaze trained on the Stabbington brothers.

"But-" Fye started.

"Just hurry," Tooth ordered, guiding Fye towards the door, and slipping her protégé past the brothers. She gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, I promise."

Fye bit her lip, but nodded and took of down the hallway. Tooth heard the brothers begin to move in the direction where Fye had disappeared and quickly turned around.

_I may be afraid of Pitch… _She thought. "Stop." She said clearly, holding out an arm. They looked down at her, seeming to be as tall as mountains. _But I'm not afraid of them. _"You will knock whenever you enter one of the dressing rooms in this establishment," she ordered, "and furthermore," She said so darkly it almost sent chills up her spine. "If I ever hear of you harassing one of my fairies again, I swear that you will regret it." She narrowed her eyes as the brothers glanced at each other. "Do we understand each other?"

The men nodded. "Of course ma'am." Toothiana could practically hear their thoughts, riddled with swears and slurs that would've been directed at her had she not been Pitch's wife.

"Good." She said coolly, "now go make sure that my husband" she mentally cringed at the word despite herself, "has no need of you."

The two nodded, obviously put out and moved in the opposite direction. Tooth, feeling a little pleased with herself, smiled and closed the door. She looked in the mirror. Her make up was done, now all she would need to do was get dressed and do her hair.

She walked to the chair and opened up the white bag. She nearly gasped at what she saw. A leotard-like costume completely decorated with feathers. They were mostly green, but a few were yellow, blue and even purple. She slipped into the costume, feeling surprisingly comfortable in it.

She then saw at the bottom of the bag, a sort of headdress. It too was feathered and fashioned to completely cover her head. Toothiana pinned up her hair and slipped on the headdress. It was beautiful, and fit nicely so that it wouldn't fall off if she spun through the air.

She looked in the full-length mirror, spinning to make sure everything was fastened tightly. It was only then that she noticed the tail feathers. They were long and grazed the floor, fading from dark blue to purple at the bottom.

"Wow." Toothiana whispered. It was by far the most beautiful costume she'd ever worn.

She heard the door open. Toothiana expected to see the Stabbington brothers there again and got ready to icily tell them that they may want to get there ears checked, but when she saw the dark, lanky figure of Pitch, she instantly hushed. Her heart seemed to tighten in her chest as she tried to speak through her choked throat.

"Pitch," She said, her palms going sweaty as she struggled to breathe.

"Love, " he said, slowly walking towards her. Toothiana wanted to run from him, but her feet felt glued to the floor. "It's time for you to go on." He said.

Toothiana licked her lips. "Yes, of course." And walked past him, pretending not to see the hand that reached out for her, or feel his fingertips brush her skin.

Now was not the time to be distracted.

TTT

Bunny heard a shift in the music. There were no more exotic instruments to thrum in his chest as contortionists bent and folded their bodies, nor were there sharp booming trumpets to blast in his ears as acrobats flew and flipped on the Russian swing. There were no more strange waves that seemed to pulse through the air as people in masks flipped across the stage, falling through what he assumed to be a trapdoor in the floor only to be replaced by more gymnasts that were brought down –flipping through the air- by invisible cords, giving the illusion that there was no floor, or ceiling. It completely blurred his ability to judge where the floor began and where the air ended.

Then he heard flutes, and light strings that danced through the air. He focused on the empty stage. _What are they building up to? _He wondered. Then, he saw a flash of bright colors as several trapeze artists flung and flipped through the air.

Then he saw her.

"Toothiana." He whispered.

TTT

Tooth was flying, flipping, and twisting her way through the routine, following the beat of the music and the familiar sound of her fairies slicing through the air. They continued for a while, merely entertaining the audience… now, she remembered what Pitch had created the Theatre for. It was time to scare them.

Toothiana pulled herself up so that she was standing on the bar of the trapeze, then she launched herself backwards flipping through the air, missing the first trapeze purposefully, which earned a shriek from the crowd, and a familiar voice shouting, "sheila!"

Toothiana felt as though her heart had been rattled in her chest. _He's here. _She thought, _he's watching me… _

She barely managed to grab the intended trapeze and right herself. She managed to catch sight of Fye, preparing to catch her.

It was time for the triple flip.

Toothiana took a breath and began to surge forward, building up as much momentum as she could before she'd need to do the flips.

She felt her heart rate quicken as she drew closer…

_Now! _

She flew forward, and as reached forward, she felt her own hand brush across her cheek, sending a sharp pain up her face, and flooding her mind with memories of fighting, of Pitch stalking towards her, striking her. She thought of Bunny and his gentle touch… Of Pitch roughly grabbing onto her arms, his hands crushing the bones in her wrists together-

"Tooth!" She heard someone scream shrilly.

Toothiana was yanked out of her memories and found herself reaching out of Fye… the young girl's eyes wide with terror as she reached for her teacher. Toothiana stretched out, forcing even her fingers to strain.

Toothiana felt her heart leap into her throat as the wind began to rush past her face, Fye suddenly growing farther away. "NO!" She heard Fye shriek, along with the entire audience.

She was falling, and Toothiana could feel it. The world was passing her by, and she was hurtling towards the ground. All she could hear above her were screams, all she could hear around her were screams.

She was falling.

Falling, falling.

Tears stung at her eyes as she tightly squeezed them closed, bracing for the impact. Her mind went to Bunny, of his eyes, of their time together, no matter how short.

Maybe this way it would be less painful to die…

**A/N: Review? What do you think will happen? What are you afraid will happen? What so you want to happen? Leave me a review! Thanks for reading!**


	12. Choices

Chapter Twelve: Choices

Toothiana collided with something hard and black, feeling a sharp pain in her leg as her body collided with the… ground? She could hear the crowd 'ooing' as she regained her wits she saw that she had not hit the ground.

"Toothless!" She exclaimed as the dragon swooped out over the crowd, the audience looking up at them with mouths hanging open and widened eyes. Tooth's arms curled themselves as tightly as they could around his neck before the dragon turned around, making a landing on the stage. She heard a strange cooing noise as his feet thudded against the stage. He looked back at her with sympathetic green eyes. Tooth gave him a grateful smile, suddenly feeling weak when she let out a deep sigh. "I'm alright." She said softly, turning to look back out to the crowd, who had all suddenly risen to their feet, clapping and whooping like Toothiana had never seen them before.

Tooth swallowed and forced a painful smile, lifting both her arms into the air dramatically, playing it off as if it had all been part of the show. The crowd wouldn't be able to see her shaking arms, or the fear that still glittered in her violet eyes as the velvet curtains closed.

The moment they were completely shut, Toothiana dropped her arms, placing her hands on Toothless's back. _Oh god. _She thought, suddenly feeling very dizzy. She placed a hand to her forehead, her heart thudding in her chest heavily. Her thoughts scattered, blurred pictures blearing across her vision, but only one name was on her lips.

"_Aster." _

She felt someone's arms around her waist, pulling her down from Toothless's back. Tooth shifted her gaze just enough to see Hiccup slipping her arm over his shoulder and doing his best to guide her off stage, Toothless trailing behind them.

Toothiana's eyes suddenly felt very heavy, and the sounds around her dulled to a mere drone. She wanted to lie down… she needed to think… what had just happened to her again? She had been falling… then what?

Suddenly people were surrounding her, she saw Fye, shoving her way past two contortionists. She put her hands on Toothiana's shoulders and began saying things… Toothiana couldn't understand. She was too tired. Her leg was throbbing and it hurt to walk on. She wanted to see Aster... where was he?

She then felt a pair of cool hands spinning her around, making her instantly go dizzy. She saw Pitch's face, his amber eyes searching her over. She saw his lips move, but all she could make out was, "alright?" She opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't find the words.

The noises around her slowly began to sharpen and she could make out the sound of pounding footsteps.

"Toothy!" she heard a familiar voice shout. She wanted to spin around and fling her arms over his shoulders, but the icy glare that curled across Pitch's face silenced her. Bunny came around, catching her face in his hands, not seeming to care that Pitch was standing just beside him.

"You alright, sheila?" He asked, looking directly into her eyes. Tooth began to reply when she saw a gray hand snap out, coiling around Bunny's wrist.

"She's fine." Pitch said coolly, pulling Toothiana to him. Tooth wanted to interject and say that her leg was actually hurting a bit, but Pitch simply continued. "and there is no need for you to be back here." His eyes narrowed on the man in front of him.

"Like hell there isn't." Bunny said gruffly, his own eyes darkening in a way Toothiana could have never imagined. "Why the bloody hell wasn't there a safety net?" He asked, stepping closer.

Tooth looked between to two men, her unease growing with every moment that passed. "Please-" She began, trying to step between the two, but Pitch stuck out his arm, blocking her out.

"I wouldn't expect a simpleton such as yourself to understand-" Pitch said smoothly, the performers, along with a few of North's crew had begun to circle around.

Bunny scoffed, shaking his head, "understand what exactly?" he asked, practically biting out each word. "The fact that you put her life in danger every time she steps on that stage?" He said, his voice rising with each word.

Tooth turned to Pitch, her heartbeat beginning to quicken. He could set his nightmares on Bunny anytime. She needed to calm him down… she needed to separate them.

"Pitch," She began, placing a hand on his arm, but she knew the moment she saw his face that it would do no good. H was burning up with white, hot _rage_.

"Silence yourself, Toothiana." He hissed, losing some of his composure when his arm snapped out, his fingers sinking into her wrist. Toothiana whimpered at the pain that flared in her arm, but it was only for a moment.

Bunny's hand had instantly wound itself around Pitch's collar, yanking him away from Tooth. Bunnymund had pulled him down to eyelevel and hissed roughly, "don't you dare touch her again, ratbag." Then he swung his arm back.

Tooth's mouth dropped as Bunny's fist cracked into Pitch's chin, sending him flying into the ground. She heard the people gathered around them gasp as Pitch clutched his jaw. She saw him begin to glance at the Stabbington brothers, whom had already begun to push through the crowd towards Bunny.

_No. _She thought, darting forward and grabbing Bunny's hand, yanking him into the crowd. "We need to get out of here!" She shouted over her shoulder, slipping past the people as quickly as she could with her leg, although the pain was slowly beginning to dull. She heard shouts rise up behind them and began running faster, soon breaking out of the crowd.

"This way!" She shouted, leading him down a dark hallway. Even Pitch's Nightmares didn't know the Theatre the way she did. Tooth opened an inconspicuous door leading to a stairwell and the two clamored down the steps, quickly shutting the door behind them, and thus silencing the voices of Pitch's nightmares that had begun to echo and bounce off the walls.

They slipped down the stairs quietly until they reached a gray door that was bolted shut. Tooth slid back the lock and pushed open the door, peering out carefully before she moved.

The back door led to a dark alleyway, littered with trash and empty bottles, lit by only the lamps by the street. Luckily there were no people. "Alright." Toothiana said, tightening her grip slightly around Bunny's hand. "We can't take the main street." _At least not while I'm wearing this. _She looked down at her feathered costume. She began walking, trying to stay as close to the walls as she could.

The two had made good distance from the Theatre; they walked in silence for a bit, the moon shining down on them as they maneuvered their way through the dark alleyways of the city. Once Tooth was certain they were out of harm's way-at least for the moment- she tried to slide her hand from Bunny's.

His hand only tightened around hers, not painfully so, but enough to keep her from slipping away from him. "Please," Tooth began, her heart already aching. She wanted to be with him, but right now… they couldn't be together.

"No." he said quietly, stopping completely and sounding just as pained as she felt. Tooth turned to face him, her brows knitting together. She nearly jumped at what she saw. He almost looked as though he were going to cry. Tooth felt as though her heart were breaking. She began to say something, but Bunny's soft voice quieted her. "Please don't let go." He said, putting her hand over his heart so that Tooth could feel the gentle beating beneath her palm. Tooth shuddered, resisting the urge to be closer to him, to wrap his arms around her.

"Bunny, I need to get you out of here-" Tooth tried, looking up at him earnestly.

"I saw you fall." Bunny continued, quieting the words in Tooth's throat. "I saw you and I thought-" his voice cracked slightly, although he tried to cover it up by clearing his throat. Tooth's lips pressed shut as she looked at him. _Aster… _She thought, feeling the urge to reach up and touch his face. "I thought I lost you." He said finally, looking directly at her.

Tooth tipped her head to the side, feeling her eyes water slightly. "Hey," She said, gently squeezing his hand. "It's alright. You haven't lost me." She assured, smiling at him softly.

He blinked at her. "So you'll come with me?" He asked, eyes brightening. "You'll leave him…" he paused and Toothiana's heart sank as she slowly shook her head, causing Bunny to frown.

"Aster, I-I can't. If I do, Pitch will-"

"What?" He asked, placing a calloused hand against her cheek and forcing her to meet his gaze, "Come after me?" Bunny chuckled lightly, "I think he'll already do that, sheila." Tooth shook her head, feeling the familiar tugs of anxiety and desperation in her chest.

"You don't understand!" She exclaimed, panic beginning to set in at the thought of what Pitch could-would do. "He will hunt you down to get to me."

Bunny's brow furrowed. "I'm not afraid of him."

"But I am!" Tooth said, putting a hand over her chest.

"I promised to protect you!" Bunny argued, catching her hand in his.

"That's not what I'm afraid of." She said, turning from him. "It's what he might do to you that scares me." She said as she looked to the ground. "If you were hurt because of me…"

"Then let's leave tonight!" Bunny said, drawing her towards him so that their foreheads touched. "Before he even realizes you're gone!" Tooth shook her head, he didn't understand. It wouldn't matter how far they went, Pitch would still come after her. And when he did that, Tooth didn't want to think about what he would do to Bunny.

"I can't" Tooth said, trying to step away.

"_Why?" _

"I-I don't love you." She lied pitifully, and Bunny knew it to, she could see it in his eyes.

"Come on, Toothy." He said. "Please."

"No. I _can't." _She said, voice cracking.

Bunny stiffened and stepped away from her, sighing. "Fine…" He looked up at the clock tower that reached high up into the sky. Suddenly his face brightened and he looked down at her.

"Let me make you a deal." He said, holding both her hands. "It's 10:30 now, stay with me until midnight, and if at midnight you still feel the same way…" for a brief moment he looked very pained. "I promise I will leave you alone." He paused. "Forever."

Tooth swallowed. If it was just a few hours, then they could avoid Pitch's henchmen, and she could spend one last time with Bunny. Her gut twisted painfully, then they would say goodbye.

It would kill her.

But it would keep him safe.

"Fine…" She said. Bunny grinned mischievously for a moment.

"But there's one more thing…" Tooth raised an eyebrow at him. For a moment his smile faltered. "I want you to act as would if you were not married to Pitch."

"But-" Toothiana began.

"Just until midnight." Bunny pleaded, clutching her hands.

Tooth paused. This would be the last time she would be with him. She bit her lip. She wanted it-despite every inch of her body screaming that she was being a fool-to be real.

She wove her fingers through his. "Very well." She said finally. Bunny smiled at her and began to walk down the alley. "But first I need to get out of this costume."

Bunny grinned back at her. "I'll find something."

TTT

Pitch paced in the main walkway of his home, waiting for any news of his wife's whereabouts. A maid poured him a drink, offering it to him, saying it would calm his nerves. Pitch hesitated for a moment before downing it in a single gulp.

Where was she?

He looked to the clock. It was eleven. He felt a pang of worry. _Please let her be safe. _He pleaded, sinking into a chair by the door and letting his head fall into his hands.

TTT

Tooth walked beside Bunny, hand in hand like any other couple out on the town for a Friday night. A plain purple dress swayed around her knees. Bunny had procured it from one of the circus girls for her to wear for their hour together.

She looked around the central city. Lights lit up the streets, and people milled about, going to street vendors and laughing as they moved from restaurants and various speakeasies.

She felt a warm hand around her waist and looked up to see Bunny smiling down at her. She smiled back before she could stop herself. Then he leaned down, kissing her forehead softly. Toothiana didn't pull away. Instead she closed her eyes.

Because tonight, even though they would only have an hour together, she could be honest with him about how she felt.

It would be a moment of happiness.

TTT

"I can't believe!" North exclaimed to Sandy, pacing about the tent while the round man merely sipped tea from a cup, watching his friend.

"Why did you not tell me?" he asked, falling into a chair and reaching for a cookie.

Sandy raised an eyebrow at him as he took another gulp.

North sighed, "You are right… I would have been upset." He shook his head. "But Tooth loves Pitch!" He looked at Sandy for affirmation, who just shook his head. "She does not?" he asked, clearly shocked. He slowly shook his head. "What will we do now?"

Sandy just looked at him.

North chuckled and stood, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You are right, Sandy." He smiled. "We always help our friends, no?"

Sandy nodded and smiled at him.

TTT

Tooth and bunny found themselves at a sort of small dance club, the sound of the piano flowed around them, and for that instant, it seemed like they were the only couple there.

One hand was on her waist, the other woven in her fingers. She let her head rest on his shoulder, surrounded by his warmth as they stepped in time with the music.

"There's five minutes left." Bunny said softly as they swayed from side to side. Tooth felt a pang in her chest but said nothing. She felt him take a shuddery breath. " So before time runs out I want to tell you something. And I want you to listen." He gently touched a hand to her cheek, bringing her face towards his. "I love you." He said, looking at her in a way that he'd never looked at anyone before.

Tooth felt her eyes water up and she looked down, burying her face in his chest. "Please." She said softly, "just hold me."

She felt his arms around her. "Always."

A tear slipped from her eye. She thought back to everything they'd done, walking the streets talking, sharing a bite of food from one of the vendors. She smiled at the memory of when -out of nowhere- he'd picked her up at the waist, spinning her in a circle.

It had been the most right feeling she'd ever had.

She would remember it forever.

She felt her arms tighten around him slightly.

She would cherish every second they had spent together. _Maybe, _she thought, _if I don't look at that clock, we can stay like this forever. _

Another tear slipped from her eyes. She could wish couldn't she?

She knew their time was running out. She could feel it.

_I love you. _She thought, tightening her fingers around the cloth of his shirt.

_I love you. _

_I love you. _

_I love you. _

She looked into his eyes for a split second, and everything in the world seemed to disappear.

Everything but them.

"I-" She began, but the sound of bells drowned her out. She saw Bunny wince; the pain was evident on his face. He reluctantly slid his arms away from her.

Tooth felt a hollowness fill her chest, and her mouth went dry. She should say something… she should do something.

Instead, she simply walked past him, not able to look at the pain on his face as she left him there.

She gasped at the feeling in her chest, it was as though someone had stabbed her. It was unbearable. Tears streaked down her cheeks as her hand landed on the doorknob. The bells rang in her ears.

Seven, eight, nine, ten.

She began to open the door, the hinges creaking as she did so.

Eleven.

She could walk out now.

_Twelve. _

Tooth paused. She didn't want to leave. She wanted to be with him. Toothiana looked back to see him watching her, longing in his eyes.

She wanted to fight for him.

The doorknob slipped from her fingers, and then she was running. Running to him. In a strange way, it almost felt as though she were running home. Then, he was sprinting to her, too. Wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her up into the air.

She placed both her hands on either side of his face, smiling softly as she pressed her lips to his. It was electric, and she could have held onto him forever.

When they pulled away, she brushed a strand of hair from his eyes. Then, she smiled at him. "I love you, too."

A grin broke out across his face.

"I knew it."

Toothiana laughed for a moment, and then he lowered her to the ground, kissing her again.

_And I always will. _

TTT

Pitch heard the telephone ring, and he leapt up to grab it. "Yes, yes?" He said hastily.

"_Boss?" _he heard on the other end, "_we found her." _

Relief swelled in his chest as he sighed, _thank god. _"Where is she?"

"_With the man from the circus." _

Pitch nearly thought he felt his heart stop. He licked his lips before replying. "What are they doing?" he asked, clenching his fist.

The line was quiet for a moment. Pitch grit his teeth. "Speak, you imbeciles."

He heard brief mumbling on the other end before a nervous voice answered. "They're kissing, sir."

Pitch felt as though all the air had been kicked from his lungs. _She's…. _He thought, closing his eyes tightly as he locked his jaw, sinking his nails into the flesh of his palm.

"_What would you like us to do, sir?" _The nightmare asked.

Pitch took a deep breath, feeling a horrible pain in his chest, as though his heart were splintering. "Nothing." He finally said, shaking his head slowly. "Do nothing."

There was a pause on the other end. _"Are you sure, sir-"_

"Yes." Pitch replied softly, loosening his hand and looking towards the ground. "Just… return to your homes."

"…_very well, sir." _

Pitch hung up the phone, taking a deep breath and resting his head against the wall. He was feeling so weak… like he just wanted to do nothing.

"Master?" he heard a maid say. Pitch looked up.

"I am fine, Toothiana is staying with her fairies tonight." He said tightly, moving towards the stairs. Once he was halfway up, he turned back.

"I'd like to not be disturbed." He said, not looking back.

"Very well, my lord." The maid said softly. Pitch nodded and continued walking, down the hall and into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

**A/N: So what do you think guys? Has Pitch really given up? Leave me a review! They make quicker updates! **


	13. A Letter

Chapter Thirteen: A Letter

The next morning, Toothiana lay in bed next to Bunny, tracing the designs of the tattoo on his arm with her fingertips. He talked about the country life, how the days were smooth, bright, and quiet: completely different from the city.

"Would you live in the country?" Tooth asked, nuzzling into his strong arms. Bunny paused as though he were thinking it over.

Then he answered, "Yeah, I think I would." Tooth looked at him, his brow furrowed in thought. "I could build a nice little cottage, with lots of room outside for the little ankle biters-"

Tooth tilted her head to the side, smiling about how he talked about the things he would do.

"There could be a big field of flowers, and in the spring they'd all bloom."

"It sounds beautiful." Tooth said softly.

"I could build a dentistry…" Bunny quietly added. Tooth felt warmth spread in her chest. She opened her mouth to speak when Bunny suddenly leaned over her, supporting himself on his forearm. "I want you to come with me." He said huskily.

Toothiana smiled, feeling suddenly light and airy. Like she could fly. "Alright." She giggled softly, looking up at him with bright eyes.

Bunny's eyes widened for a moment, then his mouth began to spread into a wide grin. "Really?" he asked, as though he expected it all to be some sort of dream.

Tooth bit down on her lower lip and grinned. "Yes."

Bunny laughed in shock for a moment before looking back at her, his eyes shining. "Th-that's great, sheila!" he exclaimed, kissing her. He pulled away, "I promise I'll make you happy." He said, placing a hand on her cheek.

Tooth covered his hand with her own. "You already do." Bunny grinned, kissing her once more before he reached to his bedside table, opening the drawer and pulling something out. "What's that?" Toothiana asked, sitting up on the bed and pulling up the sheets so that they covered her chest.

"Lemme see your hand, Toothy." Bunny said, Tooth raised and eyebrow at him. The corner of his mouth quirked up as he said, "please?" Tooth just smiled at him, holding her hand out palm up. "Now close your eyes." Toothiana did as he asked, and waited.

She soon felt something press into her palm, and although it wasn't very soft, there was something tickling her palm.

"Ok, sheila. Open your eyes."

Tooth's eyes opened and fell on the object resting in her hand. Her mouth dropped slightly. It was a dream catcher! She remembered Bunny telling her about them. She laughed softly, "Dreams are a funny thing to catch."

Bunny smirked, "It's to keep the nightmares away, remember?"

"Mhmm." Tooth hummed, scooting closer to him. Bunny slipped his hands around her waist, leaving his warm hands at the base of her back. "Because the dreams are small enough to slip through the gaps."

Bunny's eyelids began to slowly close as he leaned in towards her. "And then they grow-"

"Into more…" Tooth finished, her lips hovering by his. She then leaned in, giving him a soft kiss. They pulled away and then looked at each other for a moment, laughing as Bunny nuzzled his nose against hers. Tooth smiled, leaning forward so that Bunny fell onto his back and she lay across his chest. "So what's the plan, then?" She asked, tilting her head to the side and letting her long curls brush his cheek. She ran her fingers through his blue gray hair.

"We leave today." Bunny said firmly, "I don't want to give that bastard any opportunities."

"Aster-" Tooth began.

"What? You want to say goodbye to him?" Bunny nearly exclaimed, his eyebrows shooting up.

Tooth sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "I was _married _to him-" She saw a glimmer of irritation flicker across Bunny's face. "Hey," She said softly, placing a hand on either side of his face, "I love _you, _but I have to do this."

"Why?" Bunny shook his head slowly, taking her hands in his. "He hurt you, Toothiana-"

"I know…" Tooth said softly, reaching up and brushing her fingers across her cheek. She saw Bunny wince, and looked away. "But he wasn't always like this." She said, a brief flicker of memories darting across her mind. The way he looked at her when they first met, how he'd freed her from Mr. Greene. The years they'd spent together. Tooth sighed, feeling a heavy sadness grip at her chest. "I have to explain it to him somehow- I owe him that much." Tooth said.

"Toothy, you owe him _nothing." _Bunny said, catching her face in his hands. Tooth smiled at him, touching her forehead to his. "If he sees you, you don't honestly think he'll let you just walk away, do you?" He asked. Tooth felt her heart sink in her chest. She knew he wouldn't, no matter how much she wished he would.

She closed her eyes, taking a moment to accept what had really happened between she and Pitch. They had fallen apart. They would never be friends, and they could never go back. The choice she had made, it had torn them apart. Tooth shook her head. Pitch had made choices too. She couldn't blame herself. Tears warmed at her eyes.

But admitting it to herself didn't make it hurt any less. "I'm sorry." She apologized quickly, swiping at her eyes. "I feel like I should just be perfectly fine leaving without a word." Tooth said as Bunny instantly wrapped his warm arms around her. "But I can't," she said as strongly as she could. "All the memories we shared…" She said, burying her face in Bunny's shoulder. "I just can't-" She murmured, her voice cracking slightly.

"Shh." Bunny said softly, smoothing her hair with his hand, "It's alright, sheila. I understand." He said lowly into her ear. Tooth clung to him, nodding.

"I just have to do this." She said.

She felt his arms tighten protectively around her, but she felt him lean into her. "_I know." _He said.

TTT

They lay together a while longer, arms coiled around each other tightly as they listened. The circus going about its daily tasks. The wind ruffling lightly against the flaps of the tent. The soft sound of animals pawing at their cages.

Now it was just the two of them.

At the moment, that was all that they needed.

TTT

Tooth slipped her dress back on, turning to Bunny, whom had just buckled his pants and stood watching her, worry evident in his green eyes. Tooth smiled through the subtle fear lingering at the base of her stomach. She reached up on her toes, giving him a kiss.

"I'll write him a letter." Tooth said, trying to ease Bunny's worry. "That way there won't be a confrontation."

Bunnymund winced, but slowly nodded, placing a hand on her waist. "And I'll talk to North." Tooth smiled at him, placing a hand on his cheek.

"I'll see you soon, ok?" She said. Bunny nodded, planting two quick kisses on her lips.

"Meet me at the park, where we brought Sophie."

"Alright." Tooth said. They kissed each other once more. _It's just a letter. _Tooth reassured herself, slipping Bunny's dream catcher into her dress pocket. _What could go wrong? _

TTT

Bunny sat in a chair in front of North, looking at his mentor as he rubbed his eyes, leaning against the table where Sandy sat. "I know it's a lot to ask-" Bunny began.

"A lot to ask?" North boomed, looking up at him. Sandy's golden eyes shifted between the two nervously. "Is understatement." North continued, pacing about the length of the room.

"Look mate, I know I've put you in a tough spot-" Bunny said, rising to his feet.

"Tough spot?" North exclaimed, rising to meet him. He looked down at Bunny with hard blue eyes. "You have stolen Pitch's wife-"

A hot rage flared within Bunny's chest, "I didn't _steal _her!" He snapped through grit teeth.

"Now you want me to pack entire circus to sail you two of to _kto znayet gde!_" he exclaimed."

"I thought I could rely on you, mate!" Bunny bellowed, slamming his palm against his chest.

"There is more than just you and her at stake!" North shouted, "what about people here, they are family-"

"I know that-"

"What about Pitch? He has not done-"

Bunny's gaze darkened, "I don't know the bloke you used to know, but that- that _rat bag _is not him."

"Bunny!" North exclaimed, his eyes widening with shock.

"He _hit _her, North!" Bunny shouted over him. North grew quiet, his gaze softening.

"What?" he asked, turning from Sandy back to Bunny.

Bunny shook his head, feeling his fist begin to shake. "You don't know how he hurts her."

North turned to Sandy, who gazed back at him solemnly. "Is true?" he asked. The small man slowly nodded. North sighed sinking into a chair.

"I-I don't believe." Sandy slipped off his chair and placed a hand on his old friend's shoulder soothingly.

Bunny felt a twinge of sympathy for North. He seemed so dejected sitting in the chair just staring at the dirt floor, trying to wrap his brain around the fact that someone he once knew could hardly be recognized anymore. "I'm sorry, mate." He said softly.

North merely remained quiet for a moment, his frame expanding as he took in a great sigh. He finally looked up at him, shocking Bunny with a simple smile.

Simple, but terribly sad.

"So, you love Tooth?" He said, looking him in the eyes.

Bunny straightened his back, returning the gaze. "Yes."

North looked up at the ceiling for a moment before rising to his feet and placing a hand on Bunny's shoulder. "I will help you, my friend." Bunny opened his mouth to thank him, but North quickly silenced him. "No thanks. Is what family does for one another, no?"

Bunny felt a lump form in his throat, but he quickly swallowed it down. He cleared his throat quickly before he clapped North on the shoulder, nodding in agreement.

TTT

Jack got the news that they were to immediately begin packing up camp when he was just about to go get dinner with Hiccup. "What?" he exclaimed. "But, that doesn't make any sense-"

Ralph simply shrugged his shoulders, "I know, it's pretty weird, huh. But you guys will have to get dinner later, North wants the boat loaded within the next two hours. The huge man craned his neck up towards the graying sky. "And it looks like it's going to rain, so you might want to hurry unless you want to be loading animals and be soaking wet."

Jack just bolted around him, ignoring the shouts from both Hiccup and Ralph as his feet slapped against the dirt. He needed to get to Rapunzel, he needed to tell her it was time to leave.

And he needed to hurry.

TTT

Toothiana walked up the stairs, her fingers gently slipping across the smooth wooden railing. She looked about the room, filled with warm reds and browns. This had once been her home. She looked at the familiar pictures on the walls as she began to walk down the hallway. She paused in front of one photo in particular; a girl in a white wedding dress on the arm of a much taller man in a suit. Tears stung her eyes as she reached up, gently pressing her finger over the man's chest. He looked so happy in the picture, so gentle, so warm. Her gaze shifted to the girl. _I look so young. _Toothiana thought, looking at how eagerly she clung to Pitch's arm. She sighed, feeling a heavy weight hang over her.

She wasn't that little girl any more.

And Pitch… Pitch wasn't the same man.

A hot tear rolled down her cheek, burning so much that she was sure it would raise blisters. She backed away from the photo, continuing her way down the hall, towards the familiar door. The closer she came, the harder it seemed to keep walking. Tooth felt as though a million hands were holding on to her shoulders, urging her to go back.

But she wouldn't turn away.

Not anymore.

She turned the doorknob, listening for the familiar _click _as the door opened. Tooth stepped into her room. Her eyes shifted over the bed, with the white covers neatly tucked beneath the mattress to the dark wooden dresser with the box that held all of Pitch's cufflinks. She moved to the closet, shifting through Pitch's suits and her dresses, wondering if she should take anything with her. She pulled out her green dress, lined with gold thread and placed it on the bed before turning away. If she took anything, it could tip Pitch off that she was leaving.

She crossed the room, taking a seat at her vanity and placing the dream catcher on the smooth wood. Tooth looked up at her reflection. Long brown hair clipped up, the faint remnants of makeup on her eyelids and cheeks. Slowly she reached up, pulling out the first pin and letting a curl fall. She moved for the next, letting another curl slip past her cheek. She continued until her hair was completely freed, placing the pins in their usual spot by her hairbrush. Tooth sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She finally reached into one of the drawers, reaching for a piece of paper and pen.

It was time.

TTT

Jack slipped through the back door of Gothel's restaurant and quietly made his way up the back staircase. He was noisier that usual, but now he didn't have the time to be stealthy. All he wanted to do was grab Punz and get her out of there. They didn't have enough time.

He opened the door with a slight bang, making Rapunzel jump. She sat on her perch by the window, reading a book, Pascal sitting on her shoulder. Rapunzel immediately looked towards him, her face lighting up. "Jack!" She quietly exclaimed, jumping up to meet him. She flung her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly. Jack returned the embrace, but only for a moment.

He quickly pulled away. "We need to go, now." He said, searching her room for a bag.

"What?" Rapunzel asked as she followed him across the room where he grabbed a brown cloth sack filled with apples. Jack dumped the fruit out, sending the apples scattering across the floor. "I don't understand, I thought-"

"There isn't time." Jack said hurriedly, grabbing a hairbrush and tossing it in the bag. "North's decided we're leaving within the next few hours, I ran to get you as soon as I heard." He scanned the room, pointing at Rapunzel's wardrobe. "Grab what you'll need. We'll have to be quick."

"But… I wanted to say goodbye." Rapunzel said, standing still and looking at him. Jack bit the inside of his cheek. What if she'd changed her mind? If she decided to stay… he'd never see her again.

It would be like Hiccup and the Princess.

Jack shook his head, quickly moving towards her and placing a hand on her cheek. "There isn't time-"

"But-"

"_Please_, " Jack pleaded, "I know it's hard, and I know you're scared, He tilted his head so that he met her gaze. "but I don't want to leave without you."

Rapunzel closed her eyes and bit down on her lower lip for a moment. Jack felt a twist of pain in his heart. She slowly nodded. "Alright." She said, looking at him with reddened eyes.

Jack felt a wave of relief rush over him, nearly knocking him off his feet. He quickly kissed both her cheeks. "Thank you." He gasped, resting his forehead against hers for a moment. Rapunzel nodded, pulling away and hurrying towards her dresser, yanking out a few dresses and tossing them in the sack. Jack scanned the room for a pair of shoes, but he found none. _We'll just buy her new ones. _Jack thought as he grabbed a couple paintbrushes and dropped them in the bag as well.

"Ready?" He said, turning to Rapunzel, whom stood at her dresser scrawling something on a piece of paper. She quickly straightened and hurried over to him, letting him take her hand. For a moment, she looked back at the room, taking everything in. Before Jack could say anything she turned and began to lead him down the stairs.

"Let's go." She said quietly.

They hurried down the creaky steps as quickly as they could and then darted through the kitchen. Jack began to turn the knob when he heard the swinging of the kitchen door. The pair's necks snapped back to see a woman with dark, curly black hair, and a long red dress staring at them, wide eyed for moment. Then her tray of plates clattered to the ground and she ran forward, crying out, "Rapunzel."

Jack kicked open the door, scooping up Rapunzel's hair with his free arm and pulled her through, scurrying down the alleyway. Thunder rumbled overhead and rain began to drop down from the sky.

"Rapunzel!" he heard the woman shriek, chasing after them. Jack swung around a corner before slipping into a small alleyway. He pushed Rapunzel ahead of him, keeping a hand on her back to steer her in the right direction. Once they made their way out, Jack slipped his hand into hers, leading her on the quickest route to the circus grounds.

He glanced at her for a moment, rain tracked down her cheeks. _No_, he realized with a twinge of pain in his chest. _Tears. _

TTT

Toothiana finished writing the letter and rubbed her eyes for a moment, they stung with tears crying to roll down her cheeks. She rose to her feet, forcing back her tears and picking up the letter. She walked towards the bed, placing it on the soft duvet covers. She smoothed her faded purple dress and turned to leave.

Then the door clicked open.

Tooth froze, her eyes widening as she came face to face with Pitch. He looked different, his eye solemn with circles under them. He seemed lost, as though he weren't even really there. Hid dress shirt was slightly unbuttoned and wrinkled. In fact, the more Toothiana looked at it, the more she realized that it was the same suit he'd worn the night before.

_Has he even slept? _She wondered, shifting her feet.

"Toothiana?" he said, looking her up and down, his brow furrowing at the dress, obviously not as glamorous as any of her others. "What are you doing?" He asked, stepping forward, eyes sliding to the paper on the bed.

Tooth bit her lip and crossed her arms, looking away from him. She heard Pitch take a sharp breath through the nose. He stalked past her, snatching up the letter, its paper cutting through the air like a knife. Toothiana flinched as he read the first few lines. Pitch crumpled up the note in his fist, looking at her darkly.

"You were just going to leave me a letter?" He choked angrily, fist tightening around the paper he seemed to be clutching onto for dear life.

"Pitch… " Toothiana said softly, "I didn't want to tell you this way-"

Pitch scoffed, unwrapping the crinkled paper and began to read it. "_Dear Pitch," _He began dryly, sending a slash of pain through Toothiana's heart. "_I'm so sorry to have to hurt you this way-" _

"Please Pitch," Toothiana begged, a painful lump forming in her throat. Pitch flung the letter to the ground, turning on her, a feverish glint in his eye.

"Do you not know how I love you?" he shouted, grabbing her shoulders, "Do you not know what I've done to make you happy?" He released her, whipping around and throwing the vanity chair to the ground, snapping one of the legs. Toothiana shrunk back against the wall, watching as he snarled at her, waving his hand around the room. "Can you not see?" He exclaimed furiously, "Can you not see that all of this was for _you!" _Pitch moved to the vanity, taking Toothiana's hairbrush and flinging it at the mirror, shattering it with a crash. He looked back to her, "I _love _you, Toothiana." He said earnestly, the menace slipping from his eyes like water swirling the drain. He gasped for a moment, legs growing unsteady. Pitch reached back with an arm, gripping the edge of the vanity to regain balance.

He shook his head slowly. "After all those years alone," he breathed, looking up at her, "I thought that you would know what it was like to _long _for a _family." _

Tooth tilted her head to the side, eyes watering. "I do know what it feels like," She said softly, looking at Pitch as her looked at her with a mix of exhaustion and frustration. "I lost my parents. Any children I might've had-"

"But I guess I was wrong." Pitch interrupted, rising up to his full height. For a moment his anger rose to the surface, burning in his eyes. "Now I see that I truly am alone."

Toothiana felt an ache in her heart for him as the energy seemed to just drain out of him. He sunk to the bed, letting his face sink into his hands. She watched him for a moment, his shoulders beginning to shake. Toothiana moved forward to place a hand on his shoulder.

"Pitch-" She softly began.

"Leave me, woman!" He snarled, yanking his arm out of her reach. Toothiana jumped back, biting down on her lower lip. She stood there, looking as tears poured down Pitch's cheeks. It knocked the breath out of her.

Tooth squeezed her eyes shut, walking past him. She stopped at the door. A horrible pain was throbbing in her chest and she was just barely resisting the urge to crumple up on the floor.

She looked back at him, sitting on their- the bed with tears dropping from his eyes, landing on the carpet with a soft _plip. _

Tooth took a breath, trying to think of something she could say to him. But there was nothing. Tooth's lip quivered as she looked down at her left hand. Slowly, she slipped off her wedding ring, placing it on the vanity table with a light tap. Pitch looked up at the sound, eyes widening, and completely fixed on the ring. His mouth moved as though he wanted to speak, but no words left his mouth.

Tooth turned, her fingers closing around the knob. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then…

She left.

TTT

Pitch sat there for a while, staring at the ring. It felt as though it were physically _burning _him. He slowly rose to his feet, and then he crossed the room, grabbing the dresser and shoving it to the ground. All the drawers opened, sending clothes fluttering to the ground. He then swung his arm across the tabletop of the vanity, knocking pins, brushes, and perfume bottles to the ground.

Pitch tore at the walls, smashing the frames, letting the glass tumble to the carpet. He knocked the lamps from the perches on the nightstands, shouting as his arm connected with their porcelain necks. For a while, angry tears dripped down his cheeks, but those soon dried, and all that was left was dark fury.

Soon he slowed, growing tired after throwing, and breaking everything he could get his hands on. He then turned back the vanity, eyes locking on the ring. He stalked forward, huffing as his fingers closed around the ring. He glared at it, a horrible pain twisting in his gut. He tried to throw it, but his arm jerked to a stop. He couldn't do it, he just couldn't. He looked at the ring again, seeing his reflection on its shimmering surface. He winced, slipping it into his coat pocket.

The pain in his chest soon began to twist, shifting one more into unbridled rage. It was the animal caretaker's entire fault. He realized, clenching his fist. Everything had been fine until that bastard had shown up, until he had poisoned her against him.

Pitch's jaw locked as he yanked open his bedside table drawer. He felt a twinge of a smirk tug on the corner of his mouth. He reached inside and pulled out a silver, fully loaded revolver.

He chuckled slightly as he grabbed the phone, dialing a number and smoothly speaking into the mouthpiece as soon as a voice on the other end was heard. "Get all the nightmares ready." He ordered. "We have a hunt to go on."

TTT

_Dear Pitch, _

_I'm so sorry to have to tell you this way. I have started this letter so many times, but the words never truly seemed right. I've thought of endless ways that I could tell you, but none of them seemed right, as well. But I suppose there is no 'right' way to say this. I suppose I could start with this. You are a wonderful man, Pitch Black, and I never want you to feel any different. You have saved me from a horrible life, and there is no way I could thank you for that. You gave me wonderful things, among which your love, which for so long had been a blessing I could not even think of living without. There are so many things I want to say to you, but there is no time._

_It hurts me to tell you this Pitch. It hurts me so terribly. But you deserve to know, after all the years we spent together. I am leaving you Pitch. I can't be with you anymore. We have grown so far apart. And you've changed. You aren't the man I once knew, the man I fell in love with. It kills me to say that. Because I truly loved you Pitch. With all my heart. I would have followed you beyond the ends of the earth if you'd asked it of me. _

_But things have changed. You, me, everything. You hit me Pitch. The man you once were… he never would have done such a thing to me. I know telling you these things will hurt you, and I'm so sorry for that. I'm so sorry Pitch. But you aren't the man I once loved, and now I have to do what's right for me. I will always love you Pitch. There is a place in my heart that will always love you irrevocably. But not in the way it used to. _

_That's why I need to leave. I hope that one day you will understand, even though I fear you may not. _

_I wish you all the happiness in the world. I truly mean that._

_Goodbye,_

_Toothiana_

**A/N: Review?**

**Next chapter will most likely be fairly short, but it should come out more quickly. It should be a quickly paced chapter.**


	14. Hold On

Chapter Fourteen: Hold On

Toothiana hurried along the sidewalk; apologizing over her shoulder to anyone she bumped into before continuing down the street. She saw the park just up ahead, and her heart skipped a beat. "Excuse me!" She apologized, barely leaping out of a pair of red haired men's ways. She didn't look at them after that, and just darted across the street, waving apologetically as a car screeched to a stop in front of her. "Sorry, sorry, sorry!" She shouted as a car bleeped its horn at her.

She hopped onto the sidewalk, her shoes clicking against the cement as she hopped into the sidewalk, where a few lingering civilians remained, all rushing to their homes. They sky was quickly darkening and thunder could be heard rumbling in the distance. Toothiana felt the grass brushing against her ankles as she walked into the park. She looked about, eyes crossing over the trees and benches to find-

A pair of big arms swept her up, spinning her in the air. Toothiana let her head fall back as she laughed, tucking her legs in as he spun her. When he set her back on the ground she turned to face him, rising up on her tiptoes to kiss him. They pulled away, laughing airily for a moment, feeling the rush of adrenaline tingling in her veins. He placed his hands on her cheeks, touching their foreheads together. "You ready, sheila?" he asked.

Tooth took a deep breath and smiled up at him. "I'm ready." She slipped her hand into his. "Let's go." He nodded, kissing her cheek.

"Right," He said, leading her down the street, towards the docks. Tooth looked up at him, gazing strongly ahead: confident that everything would be okay. She smiled, lightly tapping her head against his arm. She heard him chuckle and felt his hand give hers a gentle squeeze. If there was anything to reassure that everything would turn out alright. She felt a twinge of pain in her chest for a moment, but shook it off. She couldn't keep feeling bad about what happened. She'd confronted Pitch and now it was in the past.

She was on her way to a new future. A bright one.

TTT

Jack quickly led Rapunzel up the plank towards the ship, dodging between Ralph and the other workers loading the last of the crates onto the boat. They stepped onto the deck, surrounded by pounding feet and shouting voices. Blurs of color flashed in front of them, arms brushing past their's. Jack looked back at Rapunzel. He was surprised at the panicked look on her face, wide eyes and the corners of her mouth turned down. Jack gently pulled her closer to him, lips brushing against her ear.

"It's alright," He whispered easily, "these lugs won't hurt you." Rapunzel swallowed, nodding her head before she wove her fingers through his.

"Come on," Jack said, walking towards the stairs leading below deck. "For now we'll have to hide you below deck, but when the ship sails I'll take you to North." He gave her a reassuringly playful grin as they began down the stairs. "He'll make sure you get a room and a place with the circus."

"Won't he be mad?" Rapunzel asked quietly as she followed Jack down the poorly lit hallway, passing by several rooms, some filled with people shoving suitcases and bags under bunks while others situated younger children. For moment Rapunzel locked eyes with a red haired boy in green, but he quickly turned away, leaping onto a dresser and belting out a crow's call. Rapunzel laughed, feeling the weight on her chest lighten slightly.

Jack grinned back at her, guiding her down a less crowded hallway towards the room he and Hiccup shared. "There might be someone in my room," Jack said, grinning back at Rapunzel, whose faint smile disappeared. For a moment he felt a short panic grab at his heart before quickly adding, "but don't worry, it's only Hiccup, you know, the one with the dragon?"

Rapunzel forced a brave smile, nodding and squeezing his hand. Jack smiled at her, pulling her closer as he laughed.

"Come on, I promise, Hiccup wouldn't hurt a fly. He's too scrawny to anyways, even if he wanted to." Rapunzel raised her eyebrows at him, opening her mouth to retort when she heard a voice reply from inside an open doored room.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence." A brown haired boy said, standing from his chair and setting down some metal gear that he was trying to work into some sort of machine. Jack smirked at his friend, leading Rapunzel past him into the room. Jack kept his eyes on Hiccup as he looked from Rapunzel to him, eyebrows raising expectantly. Jack could already hear him, _'hey Jack, just out of curiosity… who's the random girl we've never seen before?' _Jack sighed, what he'd done was crazy, maybe even on the same grounds as kidnapping.

Did he regret it?

Nope.

"You can sit on my bed, Punz." Jack said, smoothing out the blankets for her and sliding her bag beneath the bunk. She nodded gratefully to him.

"Thank you, Jack." She smiled, sitting down. The springs squeaked under her and Jack blushed slightly. Their furniture was definitely nothing like she'd had in the tower. To her, it was probably the least comfortable surface she'd ever sat on. Jack opened his mouth to make a joke about it when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to Hiccup who was looking at him exasperatedly, his lips pursed tightly together.

Jack rolled his eyes, elbowing Hiccup as he looked back to Rapunzel. "Punz, this is my friend Hiccup, Hiccup this is Rapunzel."

Rapunzel smiled shyly, tilting her head just barely to the side. "Nice to meet you, Hiccup." She said.

Jack saw Hiccup's eyes falter, unsure of how to respond. "Um thanks, the pleasure is all mine-" he paused giving a sharp look to Jack. Jack shrugged. _Come on man, it's not that big of a deal. _Hiccup sighed, slapping his hand to his forehead.

"Oh!" Rapunzel gasped slightly.

"Don't worry." Jack reassured, "he does that all the time." Hiccup gave him a flat, irritated look and Jack responded with a smirk. Like always.

"Jack can I talk to you for a minute." Hiccup said, his eye fleeting towards Rapunzel for a split second. Jack felt a quick twinge of fear. Hiccup wouldn't turn them in… would he? "Outside." Hiccup clarified, gesturing towards the hall.

Jack turned to Rapunzel. Her lips were turned down in a slight frown, and her eyebrows turned up softly with worry. Jack smiled at her, "I'll be right back." He promised.

She smiled, but Jack could tell it was forced. He felt a twist of pain in his heart. _Don't worry, Punz. _He thought as he followed Hiccup out the door. _I promise everything will be okay. _

From outside he heard the low rumbling of thunder. _Looks like there's going to be a storm. _He thought, letting the door fall closed behind him.

In a flash, Hiccup had turned to face him, an almost comically scolding look on his face. Jack snickered crossing his arms, "Ok, Hic." He said, leaning against the door. "What is it?"

Hiccup shook his head, rubbing his temple as though the answer should be obvious. "Who is that?" he asked, gesturing towards the door. Jack sighed and shook his head.

"I told you; her name's Rapunzel."

Hiccup gave him a serious look, "you know that's not what I meant." Jack looked away. He did not want to have this conversation right now, not after all he'd gone through to bring Rapunzel with him.

"Please, Hiccup-" he tried, stepping closer to his friend and lowering his voice.

The teen put a hand on his chest, keeping the space between them. "Jack, I'm not stupid. I can tell by the clothes that she's wearing that she's not homeless. Hiccup lowered his voice as a crewmember passed. "That means someone will come after her."

"They'd never find us-" Jack began, but Hiccup quickly cut him off.

"Jack, listen. Not everyone is like us." Hiccup said darkly. "We are _nobodies._" Jack flinched at his words, but said nothing. They were true… all that they were… was nothing; just a couple of kids working in a circus to get food and shelter. "We could disappear tomorrow, and no one would know it. We can blend in." Hiccup explained, his eyes flashing towards the door. "but someone like her," Hiccup shook his head and began to pace. "You seriously think I didn't notice all that hair?"

Jack shook his head and chuckled, "Well it was worth a try-" He attempted to quip, only to be cut off again.

"You could be _arrested._" Hiccup said desperately. He suddenly grew quiet and looked away. "Y-you're my best friend."

Jack's eyebrows rose sympathetically. "Hic, I'm sorry-"

Hiccup interrupted, "you know I almost took Merida with me-" he shook his head, leaning up against the wall of the ship. "We talked about it. We made up stories about being together." He laughed wryly. "She always said I'd end up being some scrawny old man that she'd have to push around in a cart." He bit his lip, "but in the end… we knew it would never work." He shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "Now… here I am."

Jack stepped closer, feeling his throat dry up. "I have to do this." He said, leaning in towards Hiccup. "She was…. _Trapped._" He ran his fingers through his hair, "I would've tried to help her even if I didn't care about her the way I do." He looked up at Hiccup from beneath his hair. "And so would you." Hiccup raised his eyes to Jack's.

Finally he sighed, forcing a laugh. "I guess there'd be no changing your mind. Even if I set Toothless on you."

Jack laughed, clapping Hiccup on the shoulder. "Well I am Jack Frost." Hiccup scoffed and shook his head, walking towards the door.

"Well I guess it would be good to get to know this 'Rapunzel', considering she nearly made me smack you on the head." Hiccup joked.

Jack elbowed him playfully, "I'd like to see you try."

TTT

Pitch stood by the vanity, eyes fixated on one particular object. It was round with little feathers dangling off the strings that cut through it. He knew it was a dream catcher, he had seen them in shops before, but had never bought them. He'd believed they were trivial, especially for someone who specified in nightmares.

He reached out with tentative fingers, slowly curling around the soft leather as he lifted it to his face. It was handmade, and clearly not professional. He felt his mouth twist into a glare. He must have given to her. That damn animal keeper. He grit his teeth, feeling a heated surge of rage boil in his chest.

Then there was a knock on the door. "Enter." Pitch said coarsely, looking as a maid peered in. He ignored how her eyes widened at the sight of the destroyed room. "L-Lord Pitch, the nightmares have spotted Miss Toothiana-"

"Where?" Pitch asked harshly, causing the small maid to flinch.

"O-on Browne Street." She said softly. "It looks as though they're headed to the docks."

A flare of panic flashed in his chest. If Toothinana got on a boat… she'd be gone. He whirled on the maid. "Get the car ready, now!" he ordered coldly.

The woman didn't even respond, simply darting away, the sound of her shoes clattering against the stairs. Pitch turned his gaze to the dream catcher resting in his hands. His brows furrowed into a glare and he felt his jaw lock. He tightly gripped either end of the dream catcher and snapped his wrists violently.

There was a crack as the dream catcher split in half, the strings ripping right in half. Pitch heard the maid at the door once more. "The car is ready." She said.

Pitch smiled and straightened his back. He felt the weight of the gun tucked into the waist of his pants. "Good." He said coolly, letting the pieces of the dream catcher fall to the ground.

TTT

Tooth leaned into Bunny's side, feeling his warm palm closed firmly around her own. "Ready?" She heard him ask, turning to look down at her. She met his gaze, feeling warmth spread through her chest. Strangely enough… all the pain she'd felt about leaving Pitch had just washed away. Yes, she still felt bad that she had hurt him, but she'd also accepted that she needed to do what made her happy.

She stood up on her tiptoes, kissing Bunny on the cheek. He laughed, slipping a kiss to her lips. And happiness meant being with him. She smiled, "I'm ready." She replied. For a moment they just looked at each other, and everything felt so right. Like nothing could go wrong.

Then out of the corner of her eye she saw them. Crossing the street towards them was the Stabbington brothers. Tooth's eyes widened and she immediately grabbed onto Bunny's arm. "Run!" She exclaimed, yanking him down the sidewalk lined with stores that had closed for the night. Thunder rumbled overhead, mixed with the sound of footsteps slamming into the pavement.

Just as they passed two stores, Tooth felt a tug on her arm, she gasped as Bunny shouted to her, "This way, sheila!" he pushed her ahead of him into an alley way, cutting through the streets as they tried to outrun the two brothers.

"Stop!" One of them shouted roughly as the rain began to fall, making the ground slippery, especially in her heels. Tooth yelped as she nearly lost her footing, only to be grabbed around the waist by Bunnymund.

"Don't worry, I've got you." He murmured in her ear, sharply rounding a corner. Tooth's heart hammered in her chest as she saw three more nightmares join the brothers. _Please, no! _She thought.

Ahead of her was a sort of intersection where two alleyways met. She could hear the ocean waves not far off. They would make it! Then, just in front of her another nightmare appeared, snaring his arms around her wrist.

"Oi!" She heard Bunny shout as he leapt towards her.

"Let me go!" Tooth shrieked, cracking her fist against his jaw. His head snapped back as Bunny grabbed the nightmare by the shoulders, swinging his leg straight into the man's groin.

The nightmare let out a sound that was somehow a mix between a pig squealing and someone gasping for air. "Come on!" Bunny shouted, grabbing her hand and leading her further down the street. "We've almost made it!"

Tooth heard a blast from behind her and screamed, covering her head with her free arm. "Those bastards!" She heard Bunny shout as he cut through another corner. The rain fell heavily now, nearly blocking her vision. Tooth simply tightened her grip on Bunny's hand as the maneuvered their way through the labyrinth of alleyways.

Bunny had slipped her through so many side streets that she wasn't even sure where she was anymore. For a moment, they were completely alone, gasping for air as they tried to find a new route. Tooth felt a twinge of despair in her heart. How could they possibly get away? With Pitch's entire army after them? Tears burned at her eyes. _Why? _She asked, _Why does it have to be this way? _

"Hey," Bunny said, catching her face in his hands. "Don't you do that." He said, looking straight into her eyes. "Don't you dare give up." He said, touching his forehead to hers. "We are going to be fine."

Tooth took a shuddery breath, nodding as the tears that had risen in her eyes subsided. _It's going to be ok. _She said.

She opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly shouted down by the noise of approaching nightmares. Bunny quickly pulled her flat against his chest as they slipped into a narrow alleyway, shrouded in shadows. Tooth's heart was beating so hard she was certain it would burst from her chest.

She held her breath as the footsteps grew closer. Then the soldiers began to pass by, first the Stabbington brothers, with their guns held high, then a few nightmares who straggled behind, passing right by them.

It took everything Toothiana had not to burst into a relieved laugh. She felt a gentle nudge of her shoulder and looked to see Bunny beginning to slide down the alley. Tooth quickly nodded and followed, easing past the bricks with more ease than Bunny.

When they slipped out, Tooth finally sighed with relief. She felt Bunny sweep her into a hug. "We made it." She whispered in his ear. "We're safe."

There was a soft click that rung through the air louder than any canon shot. Bunny set Tooth on the ground slowly, his eyes fixed on the person standing behind her. Tooth slowly turned, feeling the familiar sinking dread in her stomach. She knew who was behind her, waiting in the shadows.

Her purple eyes met his amber ones, and once again she felt a cruel, twisting fear writhing in her chest. Then her eyes were drawn to the silver object clutched in his hands. _A gun._ She realized, icy fear shooting up her spine. Instantly Bunny stood in front of her protectively.

"No!" Tooth exclaimed, grabbing for his arms.

Pitch laughed, his voice breaking through the air. "Oh this truly is a sight." He said, grinning maniacally. "My wife, and the rat from the circus trying to protect her." Pitch's smile melted away, transforming in a bitter snarl. "As if I'd want to hurt her." He chuckled again, shaking his head. "Oh no, I'm here for you." He said icily to Bunny, whose back instantly straightened. "I figured I should deal with the problem head on. That way…" He paused. "it won't be able to come back." Tooth felt a painful twist in her chest. Maybe even a snap as she lunged forward.

"Please Pitch!" She begged desperately, putting a hand on Bunny to keep him behind her, "don't hurt him! I swear I'll do anything-"

Pitch's brows raised as Bunny quickly exclaimed, "No Toothy-"

"I promise everything will be as it was!" Toothiana swore, forcing herself to stand tall. "Just don't hurt him." She felt Bunny's hands on her shoulders as he spun her around.

"I won't let you do this!" He looked at her desperately. Tooth swallowed the lump that formed in her throat.

"It isn't your choice." She said with a cracked voice. She felt Bunny shudder at her words as she looked to Pitch.

A smirk played on his lips, "Very well, my dear Toothiana." He said, holding out an arm to her. "I've never been able to refuse you, now have I?" he said in such a way it gave Tooth's mouth a rancid taste. She pulled away from Bunny, whose arms had gone limp. Tears plucked at her eyes as she felt Pitch's icy grip on her arms. "Wise choice, love." He whispered in her ear. Toothiana shuddered, choking down a sob. "Now then," Pitch added, raising his gun at Bunny. Tooth's eyes widened as she clutched at his suit.

"No!" She shrieked shrilly, "You promised-"

"That I would not harm him." Pitch looked at her with a twisted grin. "I promise he will not feel a thing-" He began, looking back to aim at Bunny.

Everything in Toothiana's world slowed. She could see Pitch's finger move to the trigger she could see Bunny's eyes on her, soft and sad.

Loving.

A scream burst from her as she snatched at Pitch's arm, using all her strength to grab onto him and pull the gun away from Bunny.

Then, there was a deafeningly loud bang.

TTT

Toothiana fell.

Bunny's eyes widened and his breath caught in his chest painfully as a shout burst from him, echoing off the alley walls and ringing shrilly in his ears. He lunged forward, tumbling to the ground a few feet from her. He heard her whimpering, her small form shaking as he scurried across the ground, scraping his palms against the cobblestone. "No…" He gasped, "no, no, no, no!" He said, voice shaking as he looked at her, hair splayed across the cold ground, shoulders shaking as her arms flattened across her stomach, red staining the purple fabric of her dress and spilling out onto the street.

Her eyes watered and she bit down on her lower lip in a pitiful attempt to stifle the soft whine's slipping from her lips, "Shh, shh sheila, it's ok." Bunny insisted, panic setting into his voice as he gently tried to move her hands from the wound.

"Ahng!" She squeaked, her shoulders tensing as her hands shook, trying to still clutch her hands against the blood-soaked clothe.

"I know it hurts, sweetheart, I know, b-but you're going to be okay." Bunny stuttered, pressing his hands against her stomach in an attempt to stop the bleeding. "It's going to be ok, Toothy." He said, his hands slowly staining red. _Oh god, please stop. _He begged. Blood gushed from beneath his fingers, rolling down her sides, marking little red tracks in the fabric of her dressHe needed to find her help. He had to get her back to North, or to a doctor. "I'm going to pick you up, okay?" He said gently. Bunny moved one hand to her back, pulling her up against his chest.

"Ah!" She yelped, eyes widening. Bunny looked at her ashen face. She reached up to him, face twisted in pain. She coughed, whining as her body wracked against his arms. There was a horrible gurgling noise as blood leaked out of the corner of her mouth. _No._ He thought frantically trying to think of what to do. _I can't move her! I-I'll just have to stop the bleeding. Until help comes!_ He turned back to his hands, pressed firmly against her wound. For a moment, her fingers brushed his cheek.

"Don't worry, you're going to be fine, I pro-" He began. But then, her whimpers suddenly halted, and he felt her fingers slip away. His heart stopped, and he looked back to her. Her eyes were only half open, and both her arms lay curled over her chest. Her eyes… her bright eyes were dull.

"No…" He choked, "No, Toothy, please…" Bunny whispered with a strained voice, his hands moving from her abdomen to her cheeks, smearing the blood across her face. "God, please." He murmured, pressing her against his chest, touching her forehead to his, rocking slowly, and pressing his lips to her ear. "Don't do this to me, sheila." He whispered, "please…" he whispered, holding her as close to him as he could. "Stay with me, please." He begged, voice cracking. "Please, please, please, Toothiana." His eyes watered and tears spilled down his cheeks, running down her paled face. "C'mon, please." He sobbed. The rain soaked through him, running off his skin, mixing with his tears.

She was gone.

Bunnymund's heart stopped. He didn't feel the rain that gently fell against his skin. He didn't feel the soft breeze in the night. He didn't feel Toothiana's body grow stiff in his arms. He didn't feel the tears that scalded his cheeks as the fell from his eyes, landing on Toothiana's colorless face.

He slowly lifted a numb hand and pushed a wisp of hair behind her ear before gently setting her down on the ground. He stood up and stepped around her, careful not to step on even the slightest bit of her dress. He turned his face up to Pitch, his eyes flashing with fury.

Pitch held the gun limply in his hand; his gaze was fixed on the body of Toothiana. "No." He gasped; his hand began to shake lightly. He turned his wide eyes to Bunnymund, "she's not dead." He stated dumbly, stepping foreword and letting his gun clatter to the pavement. He reached out to Toothiana.

A white-hot rage burned up in Bunnymund as Pitch reached towards his lover's body. He bolted foreword and grabbed Pitch by the collar of his robes and slammed him against the brick wall of the alley.

Pitch's head slammed against the wall with a smack and he winced in pain, and then looked down at Bunnymund with wide, amber eyes. They were filled with fear and sadness. Maybe even regret, but that didn't matter now. With a growl Bunnymund slammed Pitch back into the wall, ignoring the pained cry he let out and the blood that began to trickle down the back of his pale neck. "Damn you." He whispered, tears streaking down his cheeks as he stared at the pitiful man before him.

Pitch's amber eyes were wide and his chest was heaving. Almost like he'd just now realized what he'd done. Tears slipped down his cheeks, but the Nightmare King didn't notice, he just turned and looked at the body lying on the pavement not so far away. "Toothinana-"

"Don't you dare say her name!" Bunnymund shouted, throwing the suddenly weak man to the ground. The gruff man reached into his pocket and pulled out a switch- blade, hitting the button so that the blade swung out with a _shp_.

Pitch eyed the weapon, his expression morphing from terrified to despairing to… hopeful? "Kill me." He ordered, pushing himself onto his knees.

Bunnymund felt a surge of disgust for the slime at his feet. How dare this man order him around, after everything he'd taken from him? He clenched his fist around the handle of the blade tightly before throwing it to the ground. "No." He said through his tightly gritted teeth.

"What?" Pitch asked, his eyes widening. "No!" he shouted, desperation filling his voice. "I killed my wife-" His eyes narrowed and turned dark. "You finish this you wretch!" He shouted.

"It's over!" Bunnymund shouted, kicking the dark man into the rain soaked ground. "She's gone." His voice faltered slightly before growing loud as he said his final words to Pitch Black, "and I want you to live with knowing that you killed her for the rest of your miserable life."

Aster turned on his heals and made his way to Toothiana's body. He slipped an arm underneath her neck and the crook of her knee, and then he gently lifted her up. She was cold in his arms. She retained none of the softness in death that she had carried in life. Bunnymund spared a look at her face. She was still the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen in his life.

He heard the mangled sounds of Pitch's screams and curses rising up into the night. Bunnymund felt a sickening sense of satisfaction as he left the man sprawled on the ground. _I hope that bastard lives a long life. _He thought cynically as his feet carried him through the rain.

He held her closer to his chest, her hair brushing against his chin. Bunny didn't cry, but he was certain that everything that had once held him together had been snapped like a thread, and slowly but surely, he was falling apart.

**A/N: Review?**


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